Q4 Clue 638 | Uncomfortable silences
We have all experienced it. A moment without anything to talk about, a (long) silence. How do we deal with this?
D-style
The pitfall with this style; short answers. Yes, No, OK! Then you constantly pass the ball to your conversational partner, and they can, of course, run out of ideas. That’s fine, but if you want to keep it sociable or sell something, then a more than five-word answer is preferable.
I-style
You might think: is never silent, throw in a penny, and this style keeps rattling. But that is, of course, much more nuanced. What if this style is not comfortable or it’s boring. Distracted for a moment and… oh, what were we talking about again?
S-style
Especially during a first meeting, the chance is high. Always stressful. You have to get to know each other first. But you can also do that before you the conversation. Ask others or check online what their interests are, for example. Then you always have some ‘hooks ready’.
C-style
But silences are also okay, especially with this style. In fact, it’s better to keep quiet than to rattle on. But, of course, things can get awkward for a C as well. In that case, you can always play the current events/news card. Or see what happens when you ask for advice.
