Hairdressers, Bartenders, And Other Good Listeners

I am sitting at the hairdressers waiting for an appointment. I tune into a conversation between the hairdresser and the client who is talking loud enough for me to hear what she is saying. She is talking about her problem with "Keyloids" forming whenever she gets a piercing. Apparently, she just can't get any piercing because every time she does, her body thinks that it needs to heal that area and sends up its defences and forms these bumps at the site of the piercing.....(at this point, I am thinking..."Gross me out lady. Why in the world, do you have a need to let your hairdresser know this stuff?")

Then I tune into how the hairdresser is responding to her. I realize that there's a good chance, that she's not listening at all. I have always thought that hairdressers were miracle workers. Who else can talk and cut and color and blow dry and curl...without making your hair look lopsided? However, I think I clued into a technique!

She was responding, without really listening. But the client was none the wiser and probably felt really good that this hairdresser knew exactly how hard it was for her to suffer with Keyloids.

How did she do this? It's actually a very simple technique. I am going to break it down for you in case you want to try it.

• Hmmmm
• Really?
• Uh Huh
• Hmmm
• Is that right?
• Uh Huh
• No way....(best done with a little drop in your voice on "way")
• Really?
• Huhhhh (not to be confused with HUH? ...just a little acknowledgement to keep 'em talking while you cut and think about what it is that you are going to make for dinner)

It's brilliant and has so many applications! Yep! Hairdressers and Bartenders and other good listeners. I really learned something that day.