Soon after the divorce, I was at an industry convention with Barbara.
Since she and Frank were both beloved in the industry, people were curious
about what had happened and how it affected their company. But, of course,
no one dared ask outright. And Babara was offering no explanations.
I was seated next to Barbara at the gala farewell dinner. Appaently one
of her colleagues at the table couldnt contain her curioity any longer.
During dessert, she leaned over to Barbara and in a hushed voice asked,
Barbara, what happened with you and Frank?
Barbara, unruffled by the rude question, simply took a spooful of her
cherries jubilee and said, Weve separated, but the copany is unaffected.
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How to Respond When You Dont Want to Answer 135
Not satisfied with that answer, the woman pumped harder. Are you still
working together?
Barbara took another bite of her dessert and repeated in prcisely the
same tone of voice, Weve separated, but the company is unaffected.
The frustrated interrogator was not going to give up easily. Are you both
still working in the company?
Barbara, appearing not the least disturbed by the womans incontinent
insistence, scooped the last cherry out of her dish, smiled, looked directly at
her, and said in the identical tone of voice, Weve separated, but the
company is unaffected.
That shut her up. Barbara had shown her big winners badge by using
The Broken Record technique, the most effective way to curtail an
unwelcome cross-examination.
Technique #35
The Broken Record
Whenever someone persists in questioning you on an unwelcome
subject, simply repeat your original response. Use precisely the same words
in precisely the same tone of voice. Hearing it again usually quiets them
down. If your rude interrogator hangs on like a leech, your next repetition
never fails to flick them off.
HowtoTalktoa Celebrity
Suppose youve just settled in for dinner at a nice restaurant. You look
over at the next table, and who do you see? Is it really he? Could it possibly
be? Its gotta be a look-alike. No, it isnt! It really is... Woody Allen.
(Substitute any celebrity here: your favorite movie star, politician,
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