Editorial Note
ALBERT SCHILLER
In an age when social skills are mone�zed, and the inability to exchange
polite nothings seems pathological, I want to o�er a counterpoint: not being
good at small talk is not a �aw, nor is it something that needs �xing. I read the
books, took the classes, and watched the videos. The outcome was predictable.
More conversa�ons I wasn’t interested in. For some of us, mastering the weath-
er report or following sports and entertainment programs that other people �nd
intriguing, isn’t the point. If you aren’t interested in the answer, don’t ask.
Meaningful connec�ons are rare. They occur through curiosity, shared ideas,
and fric�on. They are built when we stop performing social �uency and start
listening.
If you’re drawn to people and uninterested in prac�cing small talk, don’t waste
�me forcing it. You are not defec�ve. You are oriented di�erently. That’s ok.
Lean into that orienta�on. Priori�ze you —and the people—that make you forget
to check the �me. Focus on what brings you alive intellectually, emo�onally, and
crea�vely. That’s where your energy will �ow, and where it should.
– Albert Schiller, CEO & Founder, Planet Alba BiZ