13 Subtle Behaviors That Instantly Kill Your Credibility—Are You Guilty of These Condescending Moves?
2. Telling someone they “always” or “never” do something
No one likes to be put in a box. When you make broad generalizations about someone else’s behavior, that’s a condescending way to make them feel judged and misunderstood. Whether you’re having a casual conversation or trying to offer meaningful feedback, the person you’re talking to is way more likely to shut down and react defensively if you claim they “always” or “never” do something.
For example, were you to tell someone, “You’re always late,” or, “You never clean the toilet,” they’re likely to feel as if you’re making a definitive statement about who they are and will almost certainly rack their brains for contradictory evidence. Whereas, if you were to say, “I’ve noticed you’ve been late a lot recently,” or “It’s been a while since you cleaned the toilet,” the person you’re criticizing will still probably get defensive, but they won’t feel like you’re suggesting they’re fundamentally flawed or bringing down the gavel on their entire personality with your belittling comments.
Post Comment