Why Are You Still Talking?

We’ve likely all experienced this; there’s an issue and someone has brought it to your attention. You understand immediately and make a mental note to do things differently. But they’re still talking. You indicate that you understand. But they’re still talking.

Continuing to lecture about a problem that has been resolved can be counterproductive and frustrating for those of us who have an IQ above that of a rock. Once you’ve addressed that a problem exists, and the other person has acknowledged what you said, that should be the end of the conversation. But sometimes it isn’t. When the other person can’t acknowledge that the situation has been resolved and drop it, they have created feelings of resentment and irritation in the person being lectured.

This creates a negative atmosphere. Just because the person who was lectured forgave their intelligence being insulted, it doesn’t mean that it will be forgotten. For those of us who return energy and treat people accordingly, it’s irritating when we aren’t that type of person who lectures on and on.

When you continuously discuss a resolved problem it can hinder the relationship. It keeps attention on the past rather than encouraging a shift towards addressing new challenges and opportunities. It can even cause the person that was lectured to move beyond the friendship or cut off the relationship if they feel their intelligence is being looked over or taken for granted.