Dear Gentlemen,
I never end a face to face conversation unless I feel the other party has tired of it. I just feel wrong about doing it... is this a matter of gentlemenly conduct or just a personal behavioral choice with no logical support behind it?
Respectfully,
JD
Dear JD,
A gentleman knows how to close the deal. Whether it's business, pleasure or the meaningless conversation by the water cooler - always end it with a bang.
The worst part of the lingering conversation is that it confuses the participants, ultimately making them wonder if they are behaving correctly, being interesting enough, or worst, wondering what their purpose in life is. Certainly, a night out doesn't need to be curtailed because of a lull in the conversation, but simple conversations among colleagues and acquaintances should have a reason for being. When that reason has been fulfilled, end it.
The worst part of the lingering conversation is that it confuses the participants, ultimately making them wonder if they are behaving correctly, being interesting enough, or worst, wondering what their purpose in life is. Certainly, a night out doesn't need to be curtailed because of a lull in the conversation, but simple conversations among colleagues and acquaintances should have a reason for being. When that reason has been fulfilled, end it.
The how-to of the casual farewell depends on the subject and setting of the conversation. But one tactic that almost never fails is to comment that the meeting has been enjoyable and that at some time in the future another meeting will be enjoyable. And if you keep the conversation within its natural bounds, you may even be telling the truth.
Best,
The Gentlemen
Or you could just do like most A-holes out there do: shift on your feet, look at your watch, clear your throat, look off to the sides distractedly...until there's a pause in the convo. Then just say, "Hey...gotta run."
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