If, like me, you often hang up the phone wondering why the other person was so quiet, there are two possible conclusions to draw:
1. You’re so fascinating, erudite and hilarious that they were hanging on every word
2. You’re a self-important waffle bag
Needless to say I fall under the first category, but for those of you who aren’t sure, a handy new iPhone app will lay the truth bare.
To quote Springwise, ‘Talk-o-Meter is a chat-monitoring iPhone app designed to show conversation dominators the error of their overbearing ways.’
‘… the app recognises who is speaking and keeps track of each person’s talk time. The results are displayed as red and blue bars indicating the balance. Speakers can then glance at the Talk-o-Meter as they converse, and…make adjustments if they are monopolising the discussion.’
What is the world coming to when verbally steamrollering over each other is discouraged? After all, can you name one great thing that was achieved by listening to everyone’s point of view? The electric light, the Internet, the lean mean grilling machine – all the work of one visionary, single-minded thinker.
Closer to home, how will the marketing, sales and advertising industries (the largest adoption group for the iPhone) function without too much talk? Will people have to start actually doing instead of blabbering? Will we all have to give up procrastinating and start acting?
Tom Hurrell is choosing his words carefully.
I think you’re missing the point Tom. It’s not about stopping talking too much, it’s about winning.
Too much red on the Talk-o-Meter is just your cue to cut in and talk more. Doesn’t matter if you have anything to say, it’s about winning – whatever the cost.
Does that mean that when my bill arrives I can charge a portion of it to people I called?
I guess there’s something in here. Perhaps a symbolic talk-o-meter for brands. How much talking do they do relative to their listening. Most companies spend in terms of marketing would outweigh their listening by a factor of ten.
Lessons to learn.