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Office Politics, Unpacked | with Kris Verlé
'Office politics' carries an unfair reputation. Most professionals treat it as something they should rise above rather than something they should be getting good at.
The irony is that those who understand it well have an almost unfair advantage over those who don't.
Closing that gap is what this podcast is about.
Each episode covers topics such as building influence, managing your visibility, positioning yourself, and communicating with authority.
You can expect practical advice aimed specifically at senior managers and directors who want to get better at navigating organisational dynamics on their own terms.
Host Kris Verlé spent fifteen years as a professional political advisor and lobbyist before becoming an executive coach more than a decade ago and founding Altitude Shift Coaching.
New episodes every month. Find out more about Kris' executive coaching at https://altitude-shift.com or get in touch at kris@altitude-shift.com
New episodes every month. Find out more at https://altitude-shift.com or get in touch at kris@altitude-shift.com
Office Politics, Unpacked | with Kris Verlé
How To Get Better At Small Talk (Without Feeling Fake)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Hate small talk? You’re not alone.
But when done right, it’s one of the quickest ways to build trust, warmth, and credibility at work.
In this episode, I break down the psychology of small talk, what it really is, why it matters more than you think, and how to make it feel natural instead of forced.
Learn how to steady your nerves, read the room, and connect with people in a way that feels confident, human, and real.
00:00 – love it or hate it
01:26 – What small talk really is
03:28 – How to ground yourself before engaging in small talk
05:05 – When small talk goes wrong
* Overthinking it
* Not reading the room
* Going on for too long
* Trying to be too professional
11:08 – The importance of courage