The buffer for stutter

Here’s an interviewing technique I’ve seen used to great effect by Tim Ferriss, among others, that our more talkative friends should follow for the sanity of those around them.

If you love to talk, that’s fine. But spare a thought for the people who don’t, who are tired of being suddenly thrust into the conversation, which up until that point was basically a one-way barrage.

I know you think that by asking our opinion you’re showing you care about what we think, but instead of speaking like a machine gun, and then saying ‘what do you think, Tim?’, place a little buffer between the mention of our name, and the actual question.

If you listen, you’ll see that Tim Ferriss is very good at this. You know when a question is coming, and you have an idea of what the question will be either because he’s plain said it and then continued speaking, or because he’s made it obvious through speaking before asking it.

This buffer gives as time to collect our thoughts, which is not always possible when you’re speaking at breakneck speed and you instantaneously call on someone. It means we can give better answers, but it also means the conversation flows much better, and is therefore more beneficial for all involved.

/rant over

ENJOYED THIS? HAVE MORE.

MOUNTAINS OF WISDOM

Subscribe to my yamabushi newsletter

RECENT BLOG POSTS

country countryside daylight field
In Transition
She will be right
boys playing soccer during day
How we play

YAMABUSHI BLOG POSTS

man in white t shirt and black pants in a running position
No harm done
The Luxury Paradox
brown wooden dock surrounded with green grass near mountain under white clouds and blue sky at daytime
Was it a chance to learn?

RANDOM POSTS

That wasn’t so hard, was it?
meditating buddha figurine
Strong convictions
Here, I made this
Tim Bunting Kiwi Yamabushi

Tim Bunting Kiwi Yamabushi

Get In Touch

Sakata City, Yamagata, Japan 

tim@timbunting.com

Share this:

Like this:

Like Loading...
%d bloggers like this: