haha I appreciate that. But I do miss the days of just having fun job. My favorite job ever was working at Tropical Smoothie when I was 20. Not a care in the world, having fun, leaving work at work, interacting with cool people. Take me back.
I feel that! It’s so cool when you work with fun in a chill environment.
I worked as a lifeguard in college at our school pool and it was soooo fun. Every 30-45 minutes I’d get a 15 minute break and got to jump off the high dive the whole time. Dang, how did I end up here? 😭😅
That was awesome to read, and this article is full of nuggets! I've found that the big advantage in having so many reps talking to people is that you get so many references that you won't die even if you get rejected or things don't work out. This anxiety and pressure to make things work is what makes most people struggle to socialize.
Your advice is legit and really well expressed, I know because it's in a lot of ways what I tell people who want to socialize in person. And I've had a parallel experience to you on it!
Even knowing about socializing irl, the insight of how it translates into Substack is new to me, yet makes all the sense in the world.
Wow man, this means so much to me. I read some of your notes and you clearly have a good grasp on social skills. So hearing this seriously warms my heart.
I completely agree with what you’re saying about reps giving you proof that rejection isn’t as bad as you thought.
I will say what was important to me was shifting my mindset from caring about the outcome. Because before, that’s what kept me from trying. And the few times I did, I saw every convo as a “failure” if I didn’t get their number or whatever.
So it felt like a loss and I got even more down.
When I switched my mindset and decided to see just saying something as a win, I stopped caring about the outcome and just took shot after shot.
And it was at this point that I was able to see rejection as a non issue.
So maybe it won’t be the case for everyone, but I do think some people would probably benefit from considering this perspective.
That is the exact perspective I have as well! If you do something strictly for the outcome, you get anxious and you get in your own way.
One of the things I tell people to do is to do tiny challenges, so maybe just ask where the bathroom is, or ask some super simple question to someone and then leave.
Basically, doing these small challenges where the outcome is about doing the thing, not achieving a specific reaction.
From here it becomes a lot easier, and you end up talking to 1000 people in a month like you did (which is still insane to me, even I don't think I've done that).
And not only do you know your shit on socializing irl, you're able to translate it over here on Substack, which is even more impressive! I know a lot about talking to people irl, but even then, your insights are enlightening, it's like I'm rediscovering socializing but on Substack!
Yeah I love all of this. So something interesting about the small challenge thing.
I tried them for a while with no success. But I realized it was because I hadn't solved the outcome thing.
So even though my only goal was to say something, I would say it and then get out as quickly as I could. So I still felt this fear and failure because I was pretty much running away from it right after haha.
After I fixed the outcome mindset, I changed my approach to "say something, and then stay there comfortably unless they don't seem interested." Because I think a key insight for me was just learning how to be comfortable without having any plans for what's next. And instead of my exit plan being running way immediately (lol), it was to pay attention and see if they looked uncomfortable/annoyed/disinterested. If so, I could gracefully leave. If not, I could stay and keep talking.
As for connecting with people online, it took a couple of years of practice to also learn it lol. The funny thing is that it ended up being so similar fundamentally. It's just that the medium is different and that took me a while to figure out.
That's actually a really good insight, I haven't ever thought of it in that way.
Ultimately, the goal is exactly what you've achieved with how you approached it. It's to be fully comfortable with how things are, without needing to overthink about what's next.
So you're doing that AND you're hitting directly on the most important part of socializing, which is being able to get out of your head and read the vibe of the other people you're around.
Your approach integrates not caring about the outcome with being comfortable without needing to control everything AND being able to calibrate and read the room.
That's just a lot better than the way I approach the challenge. And the change is so simple.
Haha I mean, it’s good when it works. It took me years to find that sweet spot. And honestly I’m not sure if it would have worked if someone had told me to not care about the outcome and to just be comfortable. Because understanding something logically and actually changing your belief around it is different.
I do believe though that knowing these things helps get you there eventually and faster.
When it comes to teaching social skills, the thing that worked best was honestly just finding a way for that person to take action and learn. And it looks different for everyone. Once you find something they can do, you can then get them to do it again and again, and that’s where I’ve seen progress happen the fastest.
Yeah that's true. I guess that specific approach works better as a next step to the initial small challenges. I can imagine it can be quite overwhelming to jump straight into that without some understanding and reference of why they do these challenges in the first place.
Also yes, taking action is the biggest lever, and it's also where you have to push people the most because it's where most of the resistance is.
Really love this article! And love the connection to building relationships online too. Working in the service industry taught me so so much so this resonated extra!
Rob, I really love this essay. You’ve taken something that people often treat as a personality trait and showed the machinery underneath it. Social confidence can look like something people are simply born with, but so much of it is repetition, exposure, and learning what to do in the moments where our brains are screaming that we are about to embarrass ourselves. The Starbucks example is really interesting because it shows how a script can become a genuine way of relating over time. We often think authenticity means everything has to be natural from the beginning, when sometimes the things that become most natural are the things we practice until they become part of us. I also appreciate that you included your own story because there is a huge difference between reading about social skills and standing in a bar wanting to talk to someone and having to fight through every alarm bell in your nervous system. The willingness to collect those awkward reps is probably the part people underestimate. Also, I still think there is something wonderfully absurd about the idea that becoming socially confident is basically a very human version of leveling up in a video game. Nobody expects to become good at a skill without practice, but somehow we convince ourselves conversation is the one thing we should magically know how to do. Great piece, Rob.
Thanks so much Andie. I really appreciate you taking the time to read it.
I love that you touched on what seems natural to people is often just experience. It looks natural because they’ve gotten good at it, not because they never had to try.
Just like watching a professional athlete or dancer. They make it look so easy, but only because they’ve literally spent their entire life perfecting it.
Another fascinating thing to me is how basic reps can lead to big progress. Like simply saying hi and going from there. We often think we need to have a great conversation, but we don’t.
It’d be like thinking that to get good at tennis, I have to go play against Roger Federer, and if he scores I fail. When really, I could just practicing hitting the ball at a wall for a few hours every day and I’d get way better simply because I’m getting better at hitting the ball.
Which is funny, in high school, our water polo team was really bad. But we got a new coach and for an hour every day we would just tread water and pass with a partner. Right hand, left hand, right hand, left hand. EVERYONE on the team was like, this is ridiculous, shouldn’t we spend more time shooting, scrimmaging, doing drills, etc. And our coach told us, if you can pass better than the other team, you will beat them a majority of the time.
And he brought us to the CIF tournament (kind like state playoffs in California) for the first time in 21 years.
Anyway, you know me and I just verbally unload, so sorry for just rambling on.
You mentioned something there that I think gets overlooked. Online social skills are social skills that take place in a different setting. I think there's an emphasis right now how the online-only generations 'lack' social skills, but I think it's more that they're only skilled in one set of social protocols. Not to say it's not a good idea to have them learn in-person social skills too, but I think you can be good in one setting and not another.
As far as learning social skills, I think the Starbucks example is a great one. You and I spoke about this at least once before, but I learned to socialize in the service industry too. But more than just shoving yourself into a situation, I think being ready to learn is overlooked like you mentioned about being intentional.
I think maybe a big barrier is that people view awkward encounters or failed attempts as a personal failing. The feeling that there's some negative blow-back maybe is why they can't be intentional with skill development--developing those skills becomes a risky journey...
I'm thinking of some situations working fast-food where we would have angry customers. A lot of other employees would let it ruin their whole day. I would view it as a challenge. I had the chance to win a loyal customer (because nothing wins a lifelong customer faster than fixing a bad experience). And if I failed? I didn't take it personally, and I moved on.
Love this comment. So much to work with and talk about! Lol.
So I 1,000% see it the way you do. Online and in person are fundamentally very similar (add value, be helpful, listen, show interest in them, actaully care, be yourself, have fun, etc.), but the skill is very different. I got good at in person after years of sucking, reading, and finally putting in a ton of reps, then sucked at online for years until I did the same.
And I also agree, one isn’t necessarily better than the other. I think in person is more important holistically to live a happy life, but if you spend a lot of time online, those are super important and may impact some people more than their in-person skills.
Yeah, the rejection part is the #1 thing that holds people back. Including young Rob. What helped for me was changing my mindset from caring if the conversation “succeeded” (I was so scared to fail and try to overprepare and it made me overthink and not take action), to just caring if I said something. Once I stopped caring where the convo went, I spoke to roughly 1,000 people in a month. Many convos were bad and it didn’t matter at all. And then I got way better.
Obviously some situations are more risky than others. Like if you embarrass yourself with a classmate, you then have to see them the rest of the semester or whatever and they could tell others. So the fear makes sense. It’s often overblown, but I get it.
So that last part is interesting about the challenge. I love that and it makes it so much easier to not get affected. I’m not sure how to teach it other than saying that, but I’ve done the same thing online. I used to do DM outreach and I’d get some people who were pretty pissed or rude or whatever because I was about to “sell them something.” I’ll admit, I wasn’t great at the time and I wouldn’t even do that anymore, but I would then try to see if I could get them to like me from there. And I sometimes would. People would even apologize or say they’re glad I reached out lol.
I think a big underlying key is just the mindset. Like you seeing it as a challenge or me not caring what happens, when you truly change your goal and perspective, it can make the entire process so much easier, it’s hard to properly articulate how big that gap can be.
what you mention about in-person being key to general life happiness is worth mentioning, and it does deserve the attention it gets. But yea, the online skills are important for... well, being online... Which is pretty important if that's part of your business model
What you mention about some situations being 'risky' made me think that I think a lot of people learn that social fear in school (I do think it's learned, because small children are pretty socially adventurous in my experience). When you're a kid and you experience one or two instances of being punished for making social missteps (punishments you'll need to live with for at least the rest of the school year), it probably affects your trajectory for a while.
Adults have a bit more analytic ability and the luxury to NOT see somebody again if they don't want to. Adults can step back from a relationship (or at least realize it's not the end of the world) if the relationship breaks down, which makes it lower risk. When you're learning social skills as a kid and your brain's still forming, negative interactions stick with you through the school year--that can just teach fear instead. I can think of a few experiences like that from my own childhood.
Thank you for this amazing post Rob. I really loved the idea of putting in the reps. I’ve also started working on my social skills. It’s not easy though haha, but it’s helping me get out of my comfort zone.
It’s not easy at all and I would never want to pretend it is.
I think it’s so cool that you’re working on yours! Having done it I know what it takes, so I can very much appreciate it.
I’m glad the post helped and resonated!
If there’s any tip I’d give, it’d be to not care about the outcome. You can start a convo and just see where it goes. If the person isn’t interested, you can leave gracefully.
Not caring about the outcome was the big switch I flipped that helped me get the reps I needed.
Wow, glad that helped. Sometimes, I feel like I shouldn't give advice when someone hasn't asked, so I try to not to that often. But it makes me happy you found this helpful haha.
I really appreciate you Rabia, you're awesome and help make Substack fun 👊
Great post, Rob. It’s true, these skills don’t come naturally. I think working in the service industry (Starbucks or otherwise) really does help your social skills, because you have to go up and start conversations as part of your job. Just asking someone if they want a drink is step one, but could maybe translate? I worked in that industry all through my 20s. Not sure if that’s why I know everyone now or not 😂😂😂🤣
Every person I’ve known who worked a service industry job says the same thing. That it taught them to be nicer to service workers (😂), and that it helped them get better at talking to people.
I think even something as small as asking someone want they want helps. Like every word you say, and every different person you interact with, gives you some sort of experience. And being closer to the next step, eventually you just do it and then that gets easier.
Thanks for reading Tracy, now I know why it’s so easy to talk to you 😅😂
Good post but your Starbucks example is location-dependent. Speaking as someone who spends time in both a very busy city and a small town, there is a big difference in the coffee shops. In bustling Chicago(I'm right in the city), there is a high turnover of baristas, and the whole place is busy and crowded, with people who are just there to buy a coffee and leave. In our small town in Michigan - totally different.
Yeah I can see that. The one I go to has times that get really swamped too and I’m sure it’s much more focused on simply taking orders and moving through the queue.
And I don’t doubt that the culture/community matters too. People in certain cities are much less likely to be talkative than others.
So I agree. I’d be interested to know if they change their training based on that.
Because they’re also international, and people/cultures definitely vary, so I could see that.
I also don’t think the training forces people to have personal conversations or anything. I think they just train them to have a bit more warmth which helps lead to it.
Relationships are pivotal to life and business.
That’s definitely been my experience haha.
Exactly! Have a good one!
Thanks you too 😊
And now I want a part-time job at Starbucks…
Hahahaha but you already have awesome people skills!
haha I appreciate that. But I do miss the days of just having fun job. My favorite job ever was working at Tropical Smoothie when I was 20. Not a care in the world, having fun, leaving work at work, interacting with cool people. Take me back.
I feel that! It’s so cool when you work with fun in a chill environment.
I worked as a lifeguard in college at our school pool and it was soooo fun. Every 30-45 minutes I’d get a 15 minute break and got to jump off the high dive the whole time. Dang, how did I end up here? 😭😅
That was awesome to read, and this article is full of nuggets! I've found that the big advantage in having so many reps talking to people is that you get so many references that you won't die even if you get rejected or things don't work out. This anxiety and pressure to make things work is what makes most people struggle to socialize.
Your advice is legit and really well expressed, I know because it's in a lot of ways what I tell people who want to socialize in person. And I've had a parallel experience to you on it!
Even knowing about socializing irl, the insight of how it translates into Substack is new to me, yet makes all the sense in the world.
Wow man, this means so much to me. I read some of your notes and you clearly have a good grasp on social skills. So hearing this seriously warms my heart.
I completely agree with what you’re saying about reps giving you proof that rejection isn’t as bad as you thought.
I will say what was important to me was shifting my mindset from caring about the outcome. Because before, that’s what kept me from trying. And the few times I did, I saw every convo as a “failure” if I didn’t get their number or whatever.
So it felt like a loss and I got even more down.
When I switched my mindset and decided to see just saying something as a win, I stopped caring about the outcome and just took shot after shot.
And it was at this point that I was able to see rejection as a non issue.
So maybe it won’t be the case for everyone, but I do think some people would probably benefit from considering this perspective.
That is the exact perspective I have as well! If you do something strictly for the outcome, you get anxious and you get in your own way.
One of the things I tell people to do is to do tiny challenges, so maybe just ask where the bathroom is, or ask some super simple question to someone and then leave.
Basically, doing these small challenges where the outcome is about doing the thing, not achieving a specific reaction.
From here it becomes a lot easier, and you end up talking to 1000 people in a month like you did (which is still insane to me, even I don't think I've done that).
And not only do you know your shit on socializing irl, you're able to translate it over here on Substack, which is even more impressive! I know a lot about talking to people irl, but even then, your insights are enlightening, it's like I'm rediscovering socializing but on Substack!
Yeah I love all of this. So something interesting about the small challenge thing.
I tried them for a while with no success. But I realized it was because I hadn't solved the outcome thing.
So even though my only goal was to say something, I would say it and then get out as quickly as I could. So I still felt this fear and failure because I was pretty much running away from it right after haha.
After I fixed the outcome mindset, I changed my approach to "say something, and then stay there comfortably unless they don't seem interested." Because I think a key insight for me was just learning how to be comfortable without having any plans for what's next. And instead of my exit plan being running way immediately (lol), it was to pay attention and see if they looked uncomfortable/annoyed/disinterested. If so, I could gracefully leave. If not, I could stay and keep talking.
As for connecting with people online, it took a couple of years of practice to also learn it lol. The funny thing is that it ended up being so similar fundamentally. It's just that the medium is different and that took me a while to figure out.
That's actually a really good insight, I haven't ever thought of it in that way.
Ultimately, the goal is exactly what you've achieved with how you approached it. It's to be fully comfortable with how things are, without needing to overthink about what's next.
So you're doing that AND you're hitting directly on the most important part of socializing, which is being able to get out of your head and read the vibe of the other people you're around.
Your approach integrates not caring about the outcome with being comfortable without needing to control everything AND being able to calibrate and read the room.
That's just a lot better than the way I approach the challenge. And the change is so simple.
Haha I mean, it’s good when it works. It took me years to find that sweet spot. And honestly I’m not sure if it would have worked if someone had told me to not care about the outcome and to just be comfortable. Because understanding something logically and actually changing your belief around it is different.
I do believe though that knowing these things helps get you there eventually and faster.
When it comes to teaching social skills, the thing that worked best was honestly just finding a way for that person to take action and learn. And it looks different for everyone. Once you find something they can do, you can then get them to do it again and again, and that’s where I’ve seen progress happen the fastest.
Yeah that's true. I guess that specific approach works better as a next step to the initial small challenges. I can imagine it can be quite overwhelming to jump straight into that without some understanding and reference of why they do these challenges in the first place.
Also yes, taking action is the biggest lever, and it's also where you have to push people the most because it's where most of the resistance is.
Good stuff again man! You're doing awesome!
Really love this article! And love the connection to building relationships online too. Working in the service industry taught me so so much so this resonated extra!
Wow, thanks Cecilia. This means a ton.
Honestly, every person I’ve known who’s worked in the service industry has told me that it’s helped with their social skills.
I think it’s cool to know that simply being in the right environment a for while can help you get better simply by forcing so many reps.
Yes! Those forced reps for sure. And seeing/experiencing the direct correlation between being open to conversation and happier customers/clients too!
Might need to get a part-time job at Starbucks just to skill up!
Caffeine + extra skills practice, what’s not to love?
Stop tempting me!
Rob, I really love this essay. You’ve taken something that people often treat as a personality trait and showed the machinery underneath it. Social confidence can look like something people are simply born with, but so much of it is repetition, exposure, and learning what to do in the moments where our brains are screaming that we are about to embarrass ourselves. The Starbucks example is really interesting because it shows how a script can become a genuine way of relating over time. We often think authenticity means everything has to be natural from the beginning, when sometimes the things that become most natural are the things we practice until they become part of us. I also appreciate that you included your own story because there is a huge difference between reading about social skills and standing in a bar wanting to talk to someone and having to fight through every alarm bell in your nervous system. The willingness to collect those awkward reps is probably the part people underestimate. Also, I still think there is something wonderfully absurd about the idea that becoming socially confident is basically a very human version of leveling up in a video game. Nobody expects to become good at a skill without practice, but somehow we convince ourselves conversation is the one thing we should magically know how to do. Great piece, Rob.
Thanks so much Andie. I really appreciate you taking the time to read it.
I love that you touched on what seems natural to people is often just experience. It looks natural because they’ve gotten good at it, not because they never had to try.
Just like watching a professional athlete or dancer. They make it look so easy, but only because they’ve literally spent their entire life perfecting it.
Another fascinating thing to me is how basic reps can lead to big progress. Like simply saying hi and going from there. We often think we need to have a great conversation, but we don’t.
It’d be like thinking that to get good at tennis, I have to go play against Roger Federer, and if he scores I fail. When really, I could just practicing hitting the ball at a wall for a few hours every day and I’d get way better simply because I’m getting better at hitting the ball.
Which is funny, in high school, our water polo team was really bad. But we got a new coach and for an hour every day we would just tread water and pass with a partner. Right hand, left hand, right hand, left hand. EVERYONE on the team was like, this is ridiculous, shouldn’t we spend more time shooting, scrimmaging, doing drills, etc. And our coach told us, if you can pass better than the other team, you will beat them a majority of the time.
And he brought us to the CIF tournament (kind like state playoffs in California) for the first time in 21 years.
Anyway, you know me and I just verbally unload, so sorry for just rambling on.
But I do appreciate you a ton.
You mentioned something there that I think gets overlooked. Online social skills are social skills that take place in a different setting. I think there's an emphasis right now how the online-only generations 'lack' social skills, but I think it's more that they're only skilled in one set of social protocols. Not to say it's not a good idea to have them learn in-person social skills too, but I think you can be good in one setting and not another.
As far as learning social skills, I think the Starbucks example is a great one. You and I spoke about this at least once before, but I learned to socialize in the service industry too. But more than just shoving yourself into a situation, I think being ready to learn is overlooked like you mentioned about being intentional.
I think maybe a big barrier is that people view awkward encounters or failed attempts as a personal failing. The feeling that there's some negative blow-back maybe is why they can't be intentional with skill development--developing those skills becomes a risky journey...
I'm thinking of some situations working fast-food where we would have angry customers. A lot of other employees would let it ruin their whole day. I would view it as a challenge. I had the chance to win a loyal customer (because nothing wins a lifelong customer faster than fixing a bad experience). And if I failed? I didn't take it personally, and I moved on.
Love this comment. So much to work with and talk about! Lol.
So I 1,000% see it the way you do. Online and in person are fundamentally very similar (add value, be helpful, listen, show interest in them, actaully care, be yourself, have fun, etc.), but the skill is very different. I got good at in person after years of sucking, reading, and finally putting in a ton of reps, then sucked at online for years until I did the same.
And I also agree, one isn’t necessarily better than the other. I think in person is more important holistically to live a happy life, but if you spend a lot of time online, those are super important and may impact some people more than their in-person skills.
Yeah, the rejection part is the #1 thing that holds people back. Including young Rob. What helped for me was changing my mindset from caring if the conversation “succeeded” (I was so scared to fail and try to overprepare and it made me overthink and not take action), to just caring if I said something. Once I stopped caring where the convo went, I spoke to roughly 1,000 people in a month. Many convos were bad and it didn’t matter at all. And then I got way better.
Obviously some situations are more risky than others. Like if you embarrass yourself with a classmate, you then have to see them the rest of the semester or whatever and they could tell others. So the fear makes sense. It’s often overblown, but I get it.
So that last part is interesting about the challenge. I love that and it makes it so much easier to not get affected. I’m not sure how to teach it other than saying that, but I’ve done the same thing online. I used to do DM outreach and I’d get some people who were pretty pissed or rude or whatever because I was about to “sell them something.” I’ll admit, I wasn’t great at the time and I wouldn’t even do that anymore, but I would then try to see if I could get them to like me from there. And I sometimes would. People would even apologize or say they’re glad I reached out lol.
I think a big underlying key is just the mindset. Like you seeing it as a challenge or me not caring what happens, when you truly change your goal and perspective, it can make the entire process so much easier, it’s hard to properly articulate how big that gap can be.
what you mention about in-person being key to general life happiness is worth mentioning, and it does deserve the attention it gets. But yea, the online skills are important for... well, being online... Which is pretty important if that's part of your business model
What you mention about some situations being 'risky' made me think that I think a lot of people learn that social fear in school (I do think it's learned, because small children are pretty socially adventurous in my experience). When you're a kid and you experience one or two instances of being punished for making social missteps (punishments you'll need to live with for at least the rest of the school year), it probably affects your trajectory for a while.
Adults have a bit more analytic ability and the luxury to NOT see somebody again if they don't want to. Adults can step back from a relationship (or at least realize it's not the end of the world) if the relationship breaks down, which makes it lower risk. When you're learning social skills as a kid and your brain's still forming, negative interactions stick with you through the school year--that can just teach fear instead. I can think of a few experiences like that from my own childhood.
Thank you for this amazing post Rob. I really loved the idea of putting in the reps. I’ve also started working on my social skills. It’s not easy though haha, but it’s helping me get out of my comfort zone.
It’s not easy at all and I would never want to pretend it is.
I think it’s so cool that you’re working on yours! Having done it I know what it takes, so I can very much appreciate it.
I’m glad the post helped and resonated!
If there’s any tip I’d give, it’d be to not care about the outcome. You can start a convo and just see where it goes. If the person isn’t interested, you can leave gracefully.
Not caring about the outcome was the big switch I flipped that helped me get the reps I needed.
Thank you so much, Rob. Yes definitely not easy, but of course, by going through the discomfort, we truly learn. 🙂
I appreciate that tip! I often caught myself taking the silence personally, which I should not. This is genuinely helpful.
Wow, glad that helped. Sometimes, I feel like I shouldn't give advice when someone hasn't asked, so I try to not to that often. But it makes me happy you found this helpful haha.
I really appreciate you Rabia, you're awesome and help make Substack fun 👊
Banger article, Rob!!
Thank you Jess, The Machine!
Great post, Rob. It’s true, these skills don’t come naturally. I think working in the service industry (Starbucks or otherwise) really does help your social skills, because you have to go up and start conversations as part of your job. Just asking someone if they want a drink is step one, but could maybe translate? I worked in that industry all through my 20s. Not sure if that’s why I know everyone now or not 😂😂😂🤣
Every person I’ve known who worked a service industry job says the same thing. That it taught them to be nicer to service workers (😂), and that it helped them get better at talking to people.
I think even something as small as asking someone want they want helps. Like every word you say, and every different person you interact with, gives you some sort of experience. And being closer to the next step, eventually you just do it and then that gets easier.
Thanks for reading Tracy, now I know why it’s so easy to talk to you 😅😂
Good post but your Starbucks example is location-dependent. Speaking as someone who spends time in both a very busy city and a small town, there is a big difference in the coffee shops. In bustling Chicago(I'm right in the city), there is a high turnover of baristas, and the whole place is busy and crowded, with people who are just there to buy a coffee and leave. In our small town in Michigan - totally different.
Yeah I can see that. The one I go to has times that get really swamped too and I’m sure it’s much more focused on simply taking orders and moving through the queue.
And I don’t doubt that the culture/community matters too. People in certain cities are much less likely to be talkative than others.
So I agree. I’d be interested to know if they change their training based on that.
Because they’re also international, and people/cultures definitely vary, so I could see that.
I also don’t think the training forces people to have personal conversations or anything. I think they just train them to have a bit more warmth which helps lead to it.