Conversation Management Quotes

When I'm in office I always keep Members of Parliament talking. If they stopped they might start thinking.

Some people are like wheelbarrows; useful only when pushed, and very easily upset. The time to stop talking is when the other person nods his head affirmatively but says nothing.

Always come to a conversation armed with two drinks. Then if it's dire you can pretend you were on the way to find someone else. And if it's interesting, you can stay and down both glasses without moving.

Conversation is but carving! Give no more to every guest Than he's able to digest.

Life would be a lot easier if conversations were rewindable and erasable, like videos. Or if you could instruct people to disregard what you just said, like in a courtroom.

The first phase of social media was listening to the conversation. The second phase was joining the conversation. The third phase will be hosting the conversation on your site.

Sam Vimes could parallel process. Most husbands can. They learn to follow their own line of thought while at the same time listening to what their wives say. And the listening is important, because at any time they could be challenged and must be ready to quote the last sentence in full. A vital additional skill is being able to scan the dialogue for telltale phrases such as "and they can deliver it tomorrow" or "so I've invited them for dinner?" or "they can do it in blue, really quite cheaply.

I think we ought to have a new rule: You can ask two questions, and then we can pick the one we want to answer.

Sending a text and not having to talk takes the pressure off. You are always in control of digital conversations.

As a salesperson, you will be judged by your ability to keep a stalled conversation moving along briskly.

Talk often, but never long; in that case, if you do not please, at least you are sure not to tire your hearers. Pay your own reckoning, but do not treat the whole company; this being one of the few cases in which people do not care to be treated, every one being fully convinced that he has wherewithal to pay.

I have listened to tapes of myself interviewing people and mostly I try to be better at directing the conversation.