Whether you generally enjoy small talk or you dread it, conversational skills offer a powerful way to build rapport and create meaningful connections with others in your personal and professional life. While the art of conversation is crucial for leaders in particular, many people – especially those who identify as introverts – can find it challenging at times. As a self-proclaimed formerly shy, “tongue-tied” engineer, Debra Fine is now an internationally recognized conversation and networking skills expert, motivational speaker, and best-selling author of the book, “The Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills – and Leave a Positive Impression!” Debra’s impressive client list includes associations, government agencies, and large corporations such as Google, Lockheed Martin, United Airlines, and Procter & Gamble. In Episode 172 of The MINDSet Game® podcast, Debra discusses the following topics: How simple mindset shifts can help anyone (and particularly introverts) become better at small talk Practical tips for starting conversations with both strangers and acquaintances Top conversation “killers,” such as monopolizing and matchmaking, and how to avoid them How to gracefully exit a conversation without appearing abrupt or offensive  To learn more about Debra or to get in touch with her, visit https://www.debrafine.com.  To subscribe to The MINDset Game podcast, visit www.TheMINDsetGame.com.