If you are naturally a quicker thinker or speaker, force yourself to slow down so that the other person can express themselves. Don’t interruptīeing interrupted is frustrating for the other person – it gives the impression that you think you’re more important, or that you don’t have time for what they have to say. Even on the phone, you can learn a lot from the other person’s voice, which might sound subdued or upbeat. Pay attention to what the other person is saying with their body language - are they smiling, for example, or are their arms crossed defensively, or are they rubbing their eyes as if they're tired or upset. Pay attention to what the other person is saying with their body languageįacial expressions, tone of voice and gestures can tell you just as much as what is being said in words. Leaning slightly forward or sideways whilst sitting can show that you’re listening – as can a slight tilt of your head or resting your head on your hand. When you look away, looking to the side or up is better than looking down, which can seem like you want to close the conversation.Ĭheck your posture and make sure it’s open – avoid crossed arms or crossed legs, which can make you look ‘closed’ or defensive. Try breaking eye contact every five seconds or so, or to show you’re listening attentively, look at one eye for five seconds, then another eye for five seconds, then switch to looking at their mouth. Too much eye contact can be intimidating, though, so adapt this to the situation you’re in. 1. Face the speaker and have eye contactĮye contact is an important part of face to face conversation. Here are 10 easy ways to make your communication more effective and make the other person feel more valued. This is called active listening, and it can help avoid misunderstanding and reduce the potential for conflict. When we show we’re really listening, it’s much more rewarding for the person talking to you, and you’ll get more out of it too. But most of us aren’t as good at listening as we’d like to think. Residents at 432 Park complained of creaking, banging and clicking noises in their apartments, and a trash chute “that sounds like a bomb” when garbage is tossed, according to notes from a 2019 owners’ meeting.Listening is an important skill in all areas of life, whether you’re supporting a loved one through health problems, dealing with colleagues or in family relationships. He has heard metal partitions between walls groan as buildings sway, and the ghostly whistle of rushing air in doorways and elevator shafts. One of the most common complaints in supertall buildings is noise, said Luke Leung, a director at the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Wind sway can cause the cables in the elevator shaft to slap around and lead to slowdowns or shutdowns, according to an engineer who asked not to be named, because he has worked on other towers in New York with similar issues. A management email explained that “a high-wind condition” stopped an elevator and caused a resident to be “entrapped” on the evening of Oct.

Many of the mechanical issues cited at 432 Park are occurring at other supertall residential towers, according to several engineers who have worked on the buildings.Īll buildings sway in the wind, but at exceptional heights, those forces are stronger. “They’re still billing it as God’s gift to the world, and it’s not.” “I was convinced it would be the best building in New York,” said Sarina Abramovich, one of the earliest residents of 432 Park. Engineers privy to some of the disputes say many of the same issues are occurring quietly in other new towers. Less than a decade after a spate of record-breaking condo towers reached new heights in New York, the first reports of defects and complaints are beginning to emerge, raising concerns that some of the construction methods and materials used have not lived up to the engineering breakthroughs that only recently enabled 1,000-foot-high trophy apartments. The Downside to Life in a Supertall Tower: Leaks, Creaks, BreaksĤ32 Park, one of the wealthiest addresses in the world, faces some significant design problems, and other luxury high-rises may share its fate.

Downside life tower creaks breaks