The art of small talk. I’ve mastered it. But it takes a lifetime and unlikely habits

Even though I’m an introvert, I interact with a lot of people every day — from strangers, I’m trying to do business with (I consult for an investment bank and a private equity company) to kids and others involved in my biggest hobby — running.

Today, I was speaking with an entrepreneur based in Argentina. His company analyzes and visualizes economic data. “Triple-digit inflation in Argentina, right?” I smiled after listening to his introduction. He was pleasantly surprised at my erudition.

The fact that I knew about Argentina’s current super-high inflation was a total coincidence. My mom, who lives with me, shares random bits of information she finds interesting while browsing her iPad. The other day, she showed me a table where Argentina ranked #1 on a list of countries with high inflation. I forget why she showed it to me. It’s not like we discuss global economic issues regularly. Maybe she was saying something about Turkey, which also ranked high. It was a fleeting moment, but I registered the information.

Last week, I met with a founder from Pakistan. During our introductions, I mentioned that my closest boarding school buddy from my years in England — and with whom I still keep in touch — was from Peshawar, Pakistan.

On another call today, an entrepreneur mentioned that he started the business plan for his company while completing his MBA at Cornell. I told him he spent his time more…