Two of the most useful words in the English language that are NOT ‘please’ and ‘thank you’!
As citizens of the digital world there’s a tremendous amount of information that’s coming to us all the time. And while we have multiple devices for communication, it doesn’t always improve the communication itself.
Add to that, we seem to be results oriented. There’s also that automatic urge/desire to solve problems (sometimes seems to be a male instinct) and to be helpful to the people we love.
So, when you put all these things together, it’s easy to understand why we can be too quick to assume that we understand what the other person is talking about (or for that matter, what the other person would like us to do!).
A lovely lady and a good friend in Chicago, someone who has dedicated a large part of her life to learning, is the one who told me about using these words, “say more”.
When you respond with “say more” it is simply a request for more information. It does not indicate agreement or disagreement, approval or disapproval (depending on your voice tone, of course).
It invites the speaker to expand on his or her idea. It also gives you, as the listener, the chance to gather your thoughts, and make certain that you understand the real issue.
Using the simple request “say more” is a very quick and effective way to let the other person know that what he or she is saying is important to you. This gesture also goes a long way towards maintaining the goodwill necessary for strong relationships!
