QuoteProject
Why do people who consider themselves good communicators often fail to actually hear each other? Often it's due to a mismatch of styles: To someone who prefers to vent, someone who prefers to explain seems patronizing; explainers experience venters as volatile.
Mark Goulston
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Good communication is often impeded by differing communication styles.

This quote highlights the challenges that arise in communication when individuals possess different styles of expressing themselves. It suggests that a person who prefers to vent their feelings may perceive someone who provides explanations as condescending, while the latter may view the former's approach as erratic. This mismatch can lead to misunderstandings and ineffective communication.

Themes

CommunicationListeningUnderstandingStylesInteraction

In practice

Example use cases

In a team meeting, I would引用 this quote to highlight the importance of understanding differing communication styles.

More from Mark Goulston

If you're fortunate, you'll meet people over the course of your career who exceed your expectations in every way. When you work or spend time with them, you find yourself wanting to be a better person.
Mark GoulstonRead
The measure of self-assurance is how deeply and sincerely interested you are in others; the measure of insecurity is how much you try to impress them with you.
Mark GoulstonRead
PTSD occurs following a trauma that was so awful that in retrospect you don't understand how you survived. What that causes is an extreme feeling of vulnerability that you get past but that doesn't go away.
Mark GoulstonRead

Similar quotes

There is only one excuse for a speaker's asking the attention of his audience: he must have either truth or entertainment for them.
Dale CarnegieRead
In nonviolent communication, no matter what words others may use to express themselves, we simply listen for their observations, feelings, needs, and requests. Then we may wish to reflect back, paraphrasing what we have understood. We stay with empathy, allowing others the opportunity to fully express themselves before we turn our attention to solutions or requests for relief.
Marshall B. RosenbergRead
If I do three interviews in a day, I can be exhausted, because the process of hearing everyone requires that I empty out myself. While I'm listening, my own judgments and prejudices certainly come up. But I know I won't get anything unless I get those things out of the way.
Anna Deavere SmithRead
If we go on explaining we shall cease to understand one another.
Charles Maurice De TalleyrandRead
Language just gradually came in, one or two stressed words a time. Before then, I would just scream. I couldn't talk. I couldn't get my words out. So the only way I could tell someone what I wanted was to scream. If I didn't want to wear a hat, the only way I knew to communicate was screaming and throwing it on the floor.
Temple GrandinRead
We move but our words stand become responsible for more than we intended and this is verbal privilege
Adrienne RichRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.