29 / 04 / 2020
1 Minute Read

How to recognize subtlety when you are not subtle !?

Dear readers,

Today, I want to write about a quality, an attitude or a rhetorical art that we call: subtlety.

In our industry, you will tell me that the use of this word is rare and that this adjective (subtle) is not easy to attribute to all.

I would say you are right. And yet, it’s a remarkable quality!

Unfortunately, too few ladies and Gentlemen know how to be sensitive to this notion of subtlety, so difficult but important is this form of intelligence and communication.

 

How to recognize subtlety when you are not subtle !?

By definition, this adjective qualifies people who are endowed with great finesse.

Finesse in their words, and their way of expressing them.

Ingenious and insightful, these people know how to express themselves in such a way that the unspoken take on their full meaning! Men and women, these people always have an original and discreet way of sending us a message.

This is where the art of subtlety is hidden! Make yourself understood without really saying it with the words that would be usually used. It is a notion quite close to insinuation, because things are not said clearly, they are suggested.

It is still more stimulating to involve the mind of the other in her own thought than to say everything in a crude way.  Don't you think so?

And if I appreciate this quality so much, I also know that many people do not understand subtlety, especially on the phone or during face to face conversations…

In my opinion, subtlety is an art. It is the art of conveying a message with nuance and relevance.

Like a poet or a writer, who chooses certain words rather than their synonyms. And we all know that appreciating art is very subjective. This is why I think that like art, the appreciation of subtlety depends on everyone. Where some will see subtlety, others will see a lack of clarity.

So Ladies and Gentlemen, be attentive, be smart, refine your way of communicating and you will see that your message will be understood very well, without ever having to be explicit.

Janet for TheVelvetRooms 

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