April 10, 2012 The Fine Art of Small Talk

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Yes, that’s a mouthful but what better way to develop successful business relationships than to learn effective communication skills? As Debra said, every business meeting and conference can turn into an opportunity for success just by incorporating graceful conversation musts and compelling business networking techniques. Of course, we also learned that effective communication also means active listening!

By listening to our membership this year, KCMPI was able to offer this outstanding educational program coupled with one of the nation’s most dynamic speakers. Debra Fine is a former engineer who regularly holds program for Fortune 500 firms that include General Electric, American Bar Association, Cisco Systems, Comerica Banks and Google.   Her best-selling book The Fine Art of Small Talk, was published with excellent reviews and feature stories in USA Today, Entrepreneur Magazine and The Chicago Tribune. Her recent media appearances include the Today Show, the Early Show, CNN and NPR Morning Edition.

In addition, since KCMPI is committed to bringing sexy back: new, fun, hip, fresh and relevant ideas, events and connections, there was no better place to hold The Fine Art of Small Talk than the sexy and new One 8 Oak Event Space. Surrounded by gorgeous red brick and thick wooden beams, and using state-of-the-art audio visual, Matthew Davis and Taste Catering provided a dynamite atmosphere with delicious cocktails and appetizers. Matthew and company are also the owners of The Terrace on Grand, another impossibly hip and popular event space in Kansas City, Missouri.

Many thanks to all of our excellent sponsors – One 8 Oak, Taste Catering, AGENDA: USA, Aloft Hotel Leawood, and Silpada. All helped make this evening of learning and laughter such a resounding success. In fact, KCMPI’s very own Lynne Fleenor donated the delectable desserts. If you haven’t tasted Lynne’s Cake Pops, you are missing a sweet treat!