The important of "The Parting Tell"

When the parting comment is the real message.


A friend of mine recently visited the doctor. After a relatively quick consultation was going out the door and made what he consider an off-hand remark. The doctor stopped him in his tracks and preceded to question him at length.

After 15 minutes of interrogation the doctor expanded on my friends treatment to cover an additional, more significant ailment. When my friend finally left the doctor joked that he had made many significant prognosis based on a patients parting comment.

It struck me that the world outside medicine could do worse than adopt this listening technique. Lets call it "the parting tell". When interacting with clients and fiends alike we are incline to tune out or drop our guard as a meeting comes to an end. By having our eyes and ears open for the parting tell we could glean a vital clue that could allow us do a better job or be a better friend.

The next time you meet a client or simply interact with someone look out for the parting tell and ask your self what additional piece of information did you gain and how could it help you the next time you deal with them