- Forum Clout
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I've been doing some work with a woman recently. Now I understand the importance of workplace small-talk.
One minute's small talk per one hour's work is acceptable because it helps the relationship. Humans do that.
She let me know that she's currently going through a breakup. I know that solving the problem isn't what women want, they want sympathy. So, instead of giving her helpful advice such as 'get a new boyfriend' I say something stoic but sympathetic like 'yeah, it's a tough one man'.
The next day she told me that she hadn't really slept properly and was a bit of a mess. I said 'didn't you? Those nights can be rough' and then just said 'yeah yeah yeah' sympathetically to whatever her next two or three sentences were.
What do you think? Is that about right?
Obviously, my goal is to give up the least possible amount of my time listening to her personal problems in order to get the job done.
One minute's small talk per one hour's work is acceptable because it helps the relationship. Humans do that.
She let me know that she's currently going through a breakup. I know that solving the problem isn't what women want, they want sympathy. So, instead of giving her helpful advice such as 'get a new boyfriend' I say something stoic but sympathetic like 'yeah, it's a tough one man'.
The next day she told me that she hadn't really slept properly and was a bit of a mess. I said 'didn't you? Those nights can be rough' and then just said 'yeah yeah yeah' sympathetically to whatever her next two or three sentences were.
What do you think? Is that about right?
Obviously, my goal is to give up the least possible amount of my time listening to her personal problems in order to get the job done.