As the great sage once said, "A well-timed silence can be a powerful tool." But what happens when silence is met with suspicion? Or when the expectation is for constant, inane chatter? In this subpage, we explore the delicate art of saying nothing in a world where everyone's an expert.
Tip 1: The Art of the Non-Answer
• "I'm not sure." - A classic. A safe, yet unhelpful response that deftly sidesteps the question.
• "That's an interesting perspective." - Code for "I have no idea what you're talking about."
• "I'll have to look into that." - A masterclass response that implies action, but never delivers.
Tip 2: The Science of the Slight Pause
• A 2-second pause is all you need. It's_goals enough time for the other person to fill the void with their own conclusions.
• A 5-second pause is for when you're not sure, but want to seem sure.
• A 10-second pause is for when you're just plain confused, but don't want to admit it.
Tip 3: The Art of the Non-Verdict
• "We'll see about that." - A phrase that says "no" without saying "no."
• "That's not the point." - A response that says "yes" without saying "yes."
• "It's complicated." - A phrase that means "no, but I'm not going to bother explaining it."
Want to learn more tips and tricks on saying nothing? Subpage 3: Advanced Techniques for the Truly Ambivert.