Deborah Tannen Quotes

Tact is after all a kind of mind reading.

If I have any strength that would be considered above average, it is that I can read people.

I've been able to read people real good throughout my life.

Understanding people certainly impacts your ability to communicate with others.

Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.

Empathy and social skills are social intelligence, the interpersonal part of emotional intelligence. That's why they look alike.

The beauty of social awareness is that a few simple adjustments to what you say can vastly improve your relationships with other people.

But some actors I have met possess an intelligence that I can only dream of. It's about character, it's about behavior. They understand things about people that I simply don't see.

I learned very early on in life that not everyone wants to hear every fact in the world, even if you want to tell them everything you've ever read.

Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.

Verbal slip-ups often occur because we say things without knowledge of the subtle implications they carry. Understanding these implications requires social awareness - the ability to pick up on the emotions and experiences of other people.

The single most important key to success is to be a good listener.

Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.

I know what I'm trying to say, so I'm always open to learning how to say it.

I think reading a room - reading the personalities, reading body language - is kind of a lost art.

A great listener - that was my talent!

I can be incredibly focused, and I can appear impatient. So I've learned to slow down, get to know people, and provide more context. There's nothing wrong with getting to the point pretty quickly, but it's also helpful to give people an opportunity to talk about their work.

Watch people and how they handle other people. You have to stay open and keep your eyes open to them.

People don't realize it's not just about being funny, and they don't know how perceptive a comedian needs to be about human nature. You have to really be able to read a situation and peoples' emotions.

You tend to relate to the other person better if you understand their professional needs.

I definitely learned a lot about how to be more communicative with my crews.

Smart people tend to know what is happening in a group situation and how to deal with others in the most effective way. They ask good questions, listen to what others are saying, and stay engaged in conversations intently.

I think one of my strengths is kind of knowing people and getting a good read and a feel for what that person's strengths might be.

People love to talk but hate to listen.

... not talking about things she doesn't understand to people who do or about things she does to people who don't.