One of the most difficult efforts in communications for those who have little patience for idle chatter is getting stuck listening to someone who has little of substance to say. Since verbal communications require action from both sides--one to speak and the other to listen--speakers can help listeners tune in by saying something worthwhile. For a speaker to be taken seriously, he or she needs to have more than a fleeting encounter with a meaningful topic. Mundane talk about a hobby, complaints about the annoying person at work (who doesn't have one of those?), boasting about personal accomplishments, and telling humorless jokes are not time-valued topics. Today most people have very little spare time. All the more reason we'd rather dart in the other direction when we see Boring Brenda headed our way than to get stuck in the hallway feigning interest. So what's in a substantive conversation? Ho...
A blog of all things communications.