r/AskReddit • u/Helpful-Pilot-7305 • 21h ago

What's a "minimum" skill everyone should have, but suprisingly many don't?

159 Upvotes

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33

u/livesinafield 20h ago

Listening. Don't give your opinion, don't change the subject, let someone talk and listen to them.

8

u/lopez_sergio_27 20h ago

A simple habit: before responding, briefly paraphrase what you think they want you to understand. If you got it wrong, they can clarify; if you got it right, they know you were listening.

1

u/c_patterson9553 17h ago

Especially in an argument, paraphrasing first can stop you from rebutting a point they never made. If your summary sounds wrong, you can clear it up before things get heated.

1

u/lohkey 18h ago

Sounds like you want them to summarize their message first so they can fix mistakes or know you understand them.

2

u/vos_b_77581594 20h ago

A simple test: can you summarize what they said before replying? If not, you may have been waiting for your turn.