How do you respond to cringeworthy bragging?

Post date: 2021-05-04 03:09:41
Views: 189
I've had a couple of professional interactions recently where my interlocutors were straight-up bragging about their accomplishments, how much money they make, how in demand they are, and so on, for an hour, in meetings where I was asking for a favor. What is the best way to respond?

Given that my social and professional circle tends to lean modest (with occasional namedropping or humblebrags at most), I am completely at sea with this behavior, and felt extremely uncomfortable. I smiled and nodded, but it felt insincere (as it was), cringing internally.

For context: I did not set up the meetings. I merely asked for a favor that could be done over email, but they elected to give me hours of their time, which sounds generous, except that the meetings were 100% about them. I chalk this up to Covid loneliness on their part?
Number of Comments
Please click Here to read the full story.
 
Other Top and Latest Questions:
The PWHL is growing and post-Olympics boom may take women's hockey to the next level
Anthropic limits Mythos AI rollout over fears hackers could use model for cyberattacks
ICE agents shoot man in California after he 'weaponized' vehicle, DHS says
Google CEO Sundar Pichai says 'AI shift' opens opportunities to invest in startups
Delta, Southwest raise checked bag fees $10 amid jet fuel price surge, joining other carriers
Trump threatens tariffs of 50% on countries 'supplying military weapons to Iran'
Movie: The House by the Cemetery
Ray Dalio: Trump-Xi meeting to focus on trade, capital flows
JD Vance calls Iran ceasefire a 'fragile truce' and says Trump is 'impatient to make progress'
AI's next bottleneck: Why even the best chips made in the U.S. take a round trip to Taiwan