To Be Interesting

Dale Carnegie, in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People, says, "...to be interesting, be interested."

I can't comment on the action "intend to be interested."  I don't have to intend, pretend or portend to be interested in people.  I am naturally wired that way and I thank God for that.  I could listen to folk's stories all day long.  When you want to accomplish something with someone though, you can't always afford to listen.  Sometimes you have to open your mouth.  When you do, sometimes your partner in conversation expresses a certain look.  It is this look that I would like to discuss today.

Your Partner in Conversation

Their shoulders droop, their eyes drift from yours, their facial muscles head in a southerly direction, they tap their fingers, they look at their watch and they begin to do the cha-cha in their seat.  What in the world has come over your partner in conversation?  They stopped talking and you started to. 

"Hey Dan, could you tell me about that hole-in-one again?"

You stopped in midstream and offered to inflate Dan's head back up.  You wonder when you can talk again.  Could you possibly spit out what you need to, before Dan's air drops to a dangerous level?

I really don't enjoy this part of the conversation.  It's not an exact science.  When I see my partner starting to drift off to La-La Land, I do speed up my speech.  I also whip out the air hose and fill-er-up when necessary. 

Obviously not all people recognize that you are giving them center stage for the majority of the discussion.  Those who do will usually listen to you without letting the world know their hemorrhoids are busting out of their drawers.  Ironically, this is the exact facial expression that some salesmen exhibit when you tell them no.

Short of whipping out the Preparation H, what do you do when faced with this situation?

Comments

[Carol]

I would try to get out of the conversation if the other isn't interested in listening to me and I'm not interesting in listening to them.

[Dave]

Hi Carol, thanks for stopping by. I usually want out of the conversation in the worst way as well! At times though it is quite hard to do.