The thing is, not all schmoozing is created equal. Some has no value (“Did you hear about the antics of the latest internet microcelebrities?!”) and some has negative value (e.g. zero-sum status-jockeying where everyone feels compelled to say their piece but would prefer the conversation never happen at all). So, the skill people need to learn is how to redirect conversations in more productive directions.
The thing is, not all schmoozing is created equal. Some has no value (“Did you hear about the antics of the latest internet microcelebrities?!”) and some has negative value (e.g. zero-sum status-jockeying where everyone feels compelled to say their piece but would prefer the conversation never happen at all). So, the skill people need to learn is how to redirect conversations in more productive directions.