Psychology says the people who command the most respect in any room aren't the ones who talk the most or the loudest - they're the ones who can sit through an entire conversation without once redirecting attention back to themselves - Silicon Canals

"The person who consistently commands the most respect in any room I've been in is never the loudest. They're usually the quietest. And what separates them isn't that they have nothing to say. It's that they can sit through an entire conversation without once pulling the spotlight back to themselves."

"Derber identified two fundamental moves people make when someone else is talking. The first is a shift response, which redirects the conversation back to the listener. The second is a support response, which keeps the focus on the speaker."

"Derber found that this behavior is so pervasive in American conversation that most people don't even register when they're doing it. They think they're connecting. They're actually competing for attention."

In social settings, the quietest individuals often command the most respect. This is due to their ability to listen without redirecting conversations back to themselves. Sociologist Charles Derber studied conversational narcissism and identified two responses: shift responses, which redirect focus to the listener, and support responses, which maintain focus on the speaker. Many people unknowingly engage in shift responses, thinking they are connecting, but they are actually competing for attention. Those who refrain from this behavior stand out by simply listening.

Read at Silicon Canals