People Who Speak Little, What Are They Like?

There are people who speak little, who are good at listening and offering complicity through their gaze. Some will say that they are boring, that their problem is shyness, and that spending time with them is a waste of time. However, people of few words can lock up incredible worlds and be those profiles that can be trusted.

As a curious anecdote, it is often said that one of the best British actors in all of history was Sir Alec Guinness. If he was known for something, in addition to his mastery of acting, it was for varying the timbre and tone of his voice in each role. He was so chameleonic that every time he went to collect an award, like the Oscar in his role in The Bridge on the River Kwai , everyone looked forward to hearing more about him.

Many were waiting for a speech, to hear his true voice and, ultimately, to get closer to the true person behind each character played. However, Guinness was always a man of few words. He collected his prizes after a brief and timid “thank you” to disappear instantly, thus further fueling the mystery and fascination.

In essence, anyone who is known for his reserved nature, for speaking what is fair and necessary, does not necessarily hide a psychological disorder or an asocial behavior. It is one more feature of the human personality. Moreover, on average, they tend to fall much better and build stronger and healthier social ties.

People who speak little: characteristics and origins

We call them “quiet”, “reserved”, “silent” … Whoever talks little is a rare bird in a world in which, in general, whoever talks a lot is successful, is charismatic and attracts more attention. We could say that, on average, we like talkative people who speak up and that in a short time they can tell us their entire life and a thousand incredible anecdotes.

However, the chatterbox is sometimes exhausting, while the people who are silent intrigue us by their silence, by their communicative subtlety. Somehow, we have been accustomed to believe that extroversion and verbiage is synonymous with success, that those who master this competition have leadership skills and even personal safety.

Now, is this true? The truth is that this topic is as interesting as it is current. The University of Georgia, for example, conducted a study in 2017 to understand the leadership style of extroverts and introverts.

Something that could be discovered is that the most reserved people have other tools, skills and communication styles that are very useful in any organization. It’s a different leadership style worth delving into.

Let us know what can be behind those who speak little, who often navigate between silences.

Introversion and reserved character

The vast majority of people who speak little are introverts. Books like The Introverted Leader: Harness Your Silent Talent ” by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler give us an example of how this personality style is increasingly at the forefront. The traits that define them are the following:

• They think before they speak.
• They know how to listen, they reflect on what they are told and take longer to respond.
• They are observers, imaginative and great analysts of reality.
• They do not shy away from social contact, they are not shy but they are selective when it comes to building friendships.
• They like loneliness.
• They are meticulous, they like to take maximum care of their relationships. They are people to trust and who value, in turn, having firm figures with whom to share confidences.

Shyness and people who speak little

There are people who speak little because of insecurity problems. In this case, we would be facing a type of personality marked by shyness. However, the fact of not coping with ease in different social settings does not mean that they end up failing in the affective or work environment.

We know that figures like Jorge Luis Borges or Agatha Christie were incredibly shy. Alec Guinness or actor Dick Bogarde used to vomit before going on stage. However, once they reached him and embedded themselves in his role, they performed masterfully. Personal shyness limits and hurts, it is true but often, it is counteracted with great virtues.

The reflective personality: inner calm in a hurried world

In a world where people exchange ideas, opinions and thoughts with almost no filter , people who speak little are at a different pace. There is therefore another factor that must be taken into account and that is related neither more nor less, than with the reflective approach.

There are those who mature a lot what they are going to say at all times. There are those who listen with all their senses before responding, who take their time because they communicate from the authenticity, with beliefs and values ​​in hand and the truth in their hearts. They observe their surroundings, they are empathetic, intuitive and skilled at perceiving what others are like and what they need.

All this requires being more leisurely, letting others speak, attending, looking, studying … Only then do they dare to speak aloud, hoping to always be useful with what is said, respectful with what is expressed. Their way of acting, processing and coping requires more time and this makes them restrict communicative fluency a little more.

For many, this trait may seem unusual, but it is after all another shade of personality. Assuming that each person is unique and that not everyone has that ability to speak in an agile way or as they say, “by the elbows” will allow us to better understand the behavior of other people.