Pavan Thanuj Upadrasta

Why You Should Skip Hello in Conversations

· 3 min read

Random Musings no-hello chat communication

Why You Should Skip Hello in Conversations

I have been an active participant in the nohello "movement" since 2015.


Even before I came across this wonderful site, back when we used IBM Sametime as a chat client, my status used to be

Needn't start with Hi/Hello. Jump right into the conversation.

Ever since I came across nohello.com I started sharing it with everyone I know!

Here are some examples of conversations I've had, which would have finished even before they started!
[11:37 AM] co-worker
Hi Pavan
[11:46 AM] Pavan Upadrasta
Hi?
[11:47 AM] co-worker
HI Pavan
[11:47 AM] Pavan Upadrasta
Hi again?
[10:12 AM] co-worker
    hii

[10:57 AM] Pavan Upadrasta
    Hi

[12:33 PM] co-worker
    can you please tell me 

[12:33 PM] Pavan Upadrasta
    You didn't ask me anything.
[11:27 am] John Doe
    Hi Pavan

[12:14 pm] Pavan Upadrasta
    Hi John Doe

[12:15 pm] John Doe
    reg xxxx..xxx

[12:42 pm] Pavan Upadrasta
    Yes?

No reply after that

[3/18 3:10 PM] Swetha
Hi Pawan

[3/22 9:38 AM] Pavan Upadrasta
Hi

[3/22 12:00 PM] Swetha
Hi Pawan

[3/24 5:10 PM] Swetha
Pavan

[3/24 6:10 PM] Pavan Upadrasta
Swetha

What can be asked and answered on day 1, went on for 6 days! (I sometimes like to have fun that way not asking what they want! 😄)

These are just a few where I felt like giving them a reply instead of just not replying. There would be countless conversations where the only message would be "Hi Pavan"/ "Hello Pavan" and nothing else. Which would not get a response from

What are you achieving by not just saying Hello/Hi back? What is wrong with you?

(one might ask)

Well, I am in a role where I have at least 30 - 50 different conversations with people. Just answering hello to hello and waiting for the actual question... ain't nobody got time for that!

Why do you not reply to people? What if it is something important?
Well, my logic here is, that if it is something important to me, I would be starting the conversation.

If it is something important to them, they would get to the point regardless of whether I say hello or hi back!

All this is good, how should one converse then?

As they say, the most effective way of asking a question is to just ask the question!

Just get straight to the point, save the pleasantries. When you ask someone "How are you?" You are only expecting "I am good" as a reply, anything else other than that will catch you off guard! (don't lie!)

Getting straight to the point also aids to have an asynchronous conversation, if who you want to reach is away and you are away when they are available, your question can still be answered!

I don't mind if someone doesn't even add "Hi Pavan". But if you feel curt just jumping right into the conversation, you can say "Hi xxx, ........"

  • Hi John, I am working on [. . . . ] and got your contact from [. . . . ]. Would you be able to help me with [. . . . ]?
  • What time is the meeting at, I don't see it on my calendar, could you please forward it?
  • Hey Andrew. Just wanted to check in on XYZ and see if you would have an update on that.

Based on the wonderful https://www.nohello.com/ (If you see that as someone's status, be prepared to be ignored if you only say "Hello!".)

Found this useful? Feel free to share this post (pavanthanuj.com/no-hello) or these other ones with your peers:

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