And if you think small talk is boring, that may be a skill issue. It requires a real back-and-forth, even if it doesn’t plumb the depths of someone’s soul. Listening attentively can significantly improve the quality of your chit-chat, Post says. “Have your radar up,” she explains. Pay attention to whether the other person seems interested, and if they’ve contributed anything to the conversation. If you’ve been talking for a long time and the other person hasn’t said anything on the topic, they’re probably bored. “Maybe their eyes have glazed over a little bit,” Post says. “I would take it as a sign to change the topic, and ask them something about themselves.” She suggests a question like: “What’s keeping you interested these days?”