When communicating, don’t hesitate. It’s either a fit or isn’t. Get it done or don’t. Just don’t hesistate. Let me give you an example. I ran into this guy on the parking lot of a hardware store. He co-hosts a car TV show here in Germany that I really like. But the segment I always skip because it’s something about home applicances with wheels they’re pushing (i.e. electric cars).
So I’m trying to figure out if it’s him, while I’m moving in hot towards a sports store to buy badminton racquets for the kids. Time is tight. I have a call starting in 14 minutes, have to select, pay, drive back 1 mile and log on.
As out paths are about to cross, me with my head full of priotities and he with a full lap of boxes he’s trying to move across the parkin lot, I am about to shoot out of my mouth “Hey, you’re the TV show guy. nice to see you man, what are you doing here?”. In that moment I notice I don’t have my camera on me. I always wear one, everywhere. But for some reason, I left it in the car. So I’ll interrupt this guy, who could not be the guy I think he is, perhaps prompt him to accidentally drop a box on the floor, for what? Not even a damn selfie.
If it were the other host I admire, I’d do it. If it were Jeremy Clarkson or James May I’d be yelling 100 yards away. I reconsider, turn my head back to the store entrance, check the time and speed up.
Either way, I went for what I wanted.
You want to raise a point, raise it, make it a good one. You don’t, don’t. Just don’t decide for too long or linker on it after the fact.