Going for a coffee break is a very essential part of my everyday life at work and not only of mine. We're a bunch of people taking coffee breaks in various constellations, talking about work, last weekend's activities, sports, the latest news.... . But there is one topic that is pretty much completely left out and this is talking about our partners. I don't mean in a serious way, but just like you could mention your partner in an everyday small talk conversation. I know that all of the coffee crowd members have partners, but for most them I don't even know their names. For some of them I don't know it through them but because somebody else talked about it. The coffee crew members who have kids are happy to talk about the kids once in a while, but the "partner topic" seems to sit on a different level. I sometimes mention my partner, but I'm starting to think this might be some kind of "unprofessional" as nobody else does that. Maybe it's because all the other coffee crew members are guys? Maybe it's just a strange habit of our group? Or do I have to learn to keep the partner topic out of coffee break conversations to enter the next level of professionalism?
Yeah, guys just don't talk about their sig others, unless it's with very very close friends. And there's beer.
ReplyDeleteI only mention my husband in a similar context as my kids, on a very superficial level. For instance, if we are discussing a new video game, I can say husband plays it but didn't like it. Or I can say my kid alerted me to a interesting YouTube clip. Or talk about schools in general. Nothing too personal, either about my husband or my kids. That's how guys seem to keep it, wives rarely (as in, never) enter the conversation. But neither does almost anything really personal.
but are kids less personal than wives?
ReplyDeleteAt least I'm getting much better in talking about sports...