Listening vs Talking

I am more of a listener than talker. Oftentimes it is hard to get a word in edgewise – many times because I am sitting there listening to the other person talking – not waiting to butt in and interrupt so I can be the one talking. Drives me crazy.

I have noticed that some talkers bother me, but other talkers do not. At work coworker Steve does talk a lot to those around him, on a wide variety of subjects, so any one subject doesn’t get old. I don’t mind listening to his banter all day.

Other people may have a stressful job and need someone to vent to.

Some people ask a question, but never stop talking so the other person can answer the question.

Some people have to tell everyone everything that’s going on, with work and their personal lives. They tell the same story to everyone that crosses their path, or calls them on the phone, so those around them hear the same story several times. They don’t notice that other people aren’t sharing the same information. Not sure who all they talk to when they work remotely at home.

But one thing I’ve noticed about all the best managers in our company – they all listen much more than they talk.

(This diatribe came from a recent email discussion I had with a friend). 

Drove down to Candler Park to play golf this morning. By the time I teed off at 645 it was almost light enough to use regular balls, but I used the lightup balls on the first two holes.

1. Decent 7 iron off tee. Flubbed the mulligan and fairway shot, but that mulligan was better. As I walked up to chip, I heard someone calling. A dog was trotting toward me, its owner in the distance. I greeted the dog, who took his time approaching me. Then the dog picked up my brand new light up ball in its mouth. Oh no! But the dog was just playing around. The owner arrived and leashed the dog. We had a nice little chat. One of my two chips was passable.   

2. Flubbed 2 tee shots. Decent approach and lag. Professor Chee joined me to play the rest of the way. Hadn’t seen him since March, before the course had closed for renovations. We had a good time catching up. The rest of the way I only played one ball, with just a few exceptions.

3. Mulligan felt good. I think it rolled off the back of the green. Lost 2 balls.

4. Flubbed the tee shot. Nice chip.

5. Decent tee shot. Flubbed the chip. Great long lag putt to save bogey.

6. Hit driver straight but too high. Okay 6 iron, but left. Flubbed the approach. Okay chip and lag putt.

7. One bad shot after another.

8. Great drive down the middle of the fairway. Two of my 3 chips were good. Good lag putt. “Par!”

9. Lined a decent hybrid straight where I had aimed (left). Hit 3 chips, though none were great. Neither were my putts. Lost 2 balls on the hole. We finished just after 8 am. Took me an hour to get to work.

Ceil ate out with her friends last night, at a Thai place in Sandy Springs. I left work and of course traffic was terrible. Ate quesadillas. Watched Chad Powers (so good) and Only Murders in the Building. We were keeping Goose, since A&C were in Athens to see his niece’s school play.

I received an email for a free Pizza Hut Pizza. I looked for the fine print but couldn’t find any. So for lunch I ordered a free thin crust beef pizza. Normally $14.00. Saving four other free deals for later.

R.I.P. Jim Suggs. Not sure what Steve has been going the past couple of years besides taking care of his father.

Denison: Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City. He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. The city’s youngest mayor in more than a century. He advocates for freezing rent, fare-free buses, no-cost childcare, city-owned grocery stores, and tripling the City’s production of housing. He says he will pay for all of this by raising taxes on corporations and the wealthiest New Yorkers (though by only raising taxes by 3%, he promised). He refused to support Israel’s existence as a Jewish state, accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, and vowed to arrest Netanyahu if he visits New York City. Mamdani has vowed to fight antisemitism, though Jewish voters fear he “poses a danger to the New York Jewish community.”