When to Say Something

I have posted an entry under the Communications are about acknowledging others: http://www.aspergermanagement.com/acknowledging-others

In this I have mentioned the TV Drama The Bridge in which there is a Swedish female detective with Asperger who fails to acknowledge others.

She is also blunt in the way she talks to other people and the way she says things. This has also applied to me. A colleague at a previous firm once said to me "its not what you say, its the way you say it". I have also be spoken to about how I approach people people.

The detective in the series also says things at inappropriate times. When a victim is ill for example, she starts the conversation not by enquiring about the person's health, but asking for information. Needless to say this doesn't go down well.

It also doesn't induce the desired outcome: people are less willing to talk or divulge beneficial information to her.

I can remember when I was working at the BBC I had a boss who, if he was unhappy with someone, would never speak about it to them in front of other people. Instead, he would call them in privately and chat confidentially.

A most useful tactic as is bearing in mind when to talk about sensitive issues.