How to talk to people pt. 2

Advanced Listening in social settings

Growing up we spent a lot of time with our family friends, The Hoffers. Carol was a teacher at our school. Her husband, Richard, was a writer for Sports Illustrated.

Since my mother was a writer; she had a special admiration for Richard and the way he spoke.

Richard would say very little throughout an evening; he merely listened intently. He let everyone else hold the reigns of conversation and would take note of everyone’s style and attitude. He would learn his audience on the fly!

When the moment was right and he would strike …. And the words he would utter would be absolutely perfect.

A person of few words; flawlessly delivered for optimum effect.

Less is more on the page and in conversation.

Sometimes we try too hard.

In some innings we aren’t throwing strikes. Just hang back and listen; wait for the right

moment… and strike them out looking.

—

“I tried to discover, in the rumor of forests and waves, words that other men could not hear, and I pricked up my ears to listen to the revelation of their harmony.”

― Gustave Flaubert