The Skill of Picking Up Hints.

Or the lack of it. Check this out.

Scenario 1

Skill Lacker: So, where do you stay ah?

Irritated #1: North.

Skill Lacker: So how was your last trip?

Irritated #1: Ok.

Skill Lacker: Usually weekends I take my dogs out or go to the movies. You like dogs?

Irriated #1: Ok.

Lesson #1: When you try to make small talk and all you get is monosyllabic answers, it means the person doesn't wanna talk.

Action Course: Just shut your trap.

Scenario 2

Skill Lacker: Shall we go for a drink?

Irritated #2: It's ok. Let's just head back to the office.

Skill Lacker: A quick one la. Are you a coffee person?

Irriated #2: No. I don't drink coffee.

Skill Lacker: Oh. Let's go to Macs then.

Irritated #2: It's really ok. You don't have things to do back in the office?

Skill Lacker: A short drink is fine, really.

Lesson #2: When you continuously get negative replies to your propositions, it means the other party does not wish to partake of them.

Action Course: Just drop it. You really don't have to try so hard.

Scenario 3

Skill Lacker hears people talking just outside his cubicle right before lunch. And within seconds, the buzzing of human chatter disappears. The people have also disappeared. (Obviously to lunch.)

The next day... ...

Skill Lacker: Eh, yesterday, I heard you all talking talking then suddenly all disappear.

Irritated #3: Oh. We went for lunch.

Skill Lacker: Next time you all go for lunch, call me along also la.

Irritated #3: Orh. We didn't know if you wanted to eat.

Lesson #3: When people mysteriously disappear like they were part of a David Copperfield performance, it's quite clear they are trying to avoid you.

Action Course: Please have some EQ and NOT self invite! Wait to be invited. Earn that.

Scenario 4

Irritated #4: Hi, we would like to know when we will be given our finalized accounts to work on.

Skill Lacker: Oh. It will be this week. It will be announced through email.

Irritated #5: Meaning there is no room for discussion? (not literally cos the company has quite a number of discussion rooms)

Skill Lacker: Erm, still have la, not totally no room for discussion.

Irritated #4: Meaning there will be no proper meeting to disseminate the information. Just via email like that?

Skill Lacker: Er, ya.

Lesson #4: I have no lesson to teach for the simple reason that I am not in THAT position to be disseminating such important information. What I know though, is that this is the first time such important information is disseminated in this manner. I've got some questions though...

1) Who teach you to disseminate liddat one ah?

2) And why via email ah? No guts to do it face to face knowing you'll be thrown questions about your decisions issit?

Action Course: I'm waiting to see, if after that conversation and the faces of shock that Irritated #4 and #5 gave him, whether the Skill Lacker gets the hint. :p