Adding too much value

A few years ago, I decided to buy a new television set. I did my research and I found the model I wanted on the internet.

To support the local economy, I went to the neighborhood electronics shop to buy what I wanted.

Instead of simply making an easy sale, the enthusiastic sales professional started to bore me with all the cool features and technical details of this particular model. I cut him short after ten minutes, went home, and bought the television set online.

This behavior is called adding too much value: In order to impress others, people provide so much information, that they become annoying. It often prevents well-meaning and well-informed people to be effective with others.

A simple technique to avoid falling into this trap, is to pause frequently, take a breath, and ask people if you should continue.

Many times, the best way to improve our own effectiveness is to simply stop talking.

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