Sometimes it's not best to be authentic. Say for example when you're tired and irritable, for you to be authentic then, would be very unpleasant for everyone else. In this case it would be better to be a pro. A pro doesn't let their foul mood affect others. They can execute a controlled explosion so … Continue reading Authentic v a pro
Author: thomaspfduggan
Civility v tension
When civility is the group norm it's all very pleasant. Conversations are polite and mannerly. Nobody gets upset. The ribbing is gentle and never personal or upsetting. When tension is the group norm it's exciting. Conversations are rich with barbs and potential digs. Everyone is point scoring. The ribbing is stronger and closer to the … Continue reading Civility v tension
Clear and concise feedback
The object of feedback is there basically to understand what the problem is.You may have a feedback problem if: If you leave the receiver more confused about what the problem is. If it takes you an hour and 20 minutes to make one point. If you do 99% of the talking. A great way to … Continue reading Clear and concise feedback
Lectures v Discussions
Lectures are one way communication and they're extremely boring. The lecturer just rambles on and on. They take roughly an hour to make one point which is reached via a number of different tangents. Whether as a discussion is a completely different beast. A discussion means equal conversation time for all parties. And the result? … Continue reading Lectures v Discussions
Suffering in silence
Suffering on in silence never ends well. You haven't done it yet because in your head it's going to be the worst thing ever. As soon as you utter those words it's going to be the end of days. But the reality is, it won't be that bad. The awkwardness and tension will only be … Continue reading Suffering in silence
Just be in the moment
I always found this very frustrating advice. You know you’re not in the moment when you have to say be in the moment and the more not present you are the more frustrated you get. It’s a vicious cycle really. But I heard recently a great way to counteract this that’s worked wonders for me. … Continue reading Just be in the moment
Loads of time
"Ah we'll be grand we have loads of time. Let's watch another YouTube video." A few hours later... "Oh my god we've so much to do. We're never going to get it all done in time" Has this ever happened to you? When you have ample time the easy thing to do is just push … Continue reading Loads of time
Vanity v taking pride in your appearance
I think there's a clear distinction between vanity and taking pride in your appearance. So here's my stab at it. I think that it revolves around fear. The vain human is almost obsessive about their looks. They can't go long without checking their reflection. They have to constantly make sure they're looking good. Whether as … Continue reading Vanity v taking pride in your appearance
Gift anxiety
Looking forward to Christmas? This has been my go to small talk starter recently. Which I reckon, isn't a bad one. It usually reveals my conversing partner's views on Christmas. Which the majority respond with describing some form of anxiety about buying gifts. I have to admit I can relate. I experience different levels of … Continue reading Gift anxiety
Building mystery around Rey
The force awakens screenplay was great for subtly building the mystery around Rey's character. First of all we were very curious as to these new star wars characters but the script made us especially curious about Rey. You see Finn's story straight away, you know his past and where he came from. Whether as with … Continue reading Building mystery around Rey
