Specifically, you know that thing that nerds do that makes us nerds? We leap into conversations to correct people and explain things, and offer smart solutions to problems? Yeah, let me stop that for a day or so and see how that goes. Because I think people just want to talk, sometimes. They're not complaining to me about their job so I can solve their problems. They might just be having idle conversation with me. And anyway, it's not necessarily true that I have just the insight they need to solve their issue. If they were asking for help, or a detailed lecture on the Star Wars Cannonical Universe, well, they'd ask. And if they say something that's slightly incorrect, it's generally not so urgent that I leap in there and point out where they were wrong.
I had this co-worker once, who was super talkative, but when you came away from the conversation, you'd realize that you spent the whole time talking about yourself, and telling him about your hobbies, or teaching him something he didn't know, while not learning a single thing about him. I'm aiming for Part 1 of my Espionage Arts: Intelligence Gathering merit badge.
