"he had his nervous laugh, his toe scuffing the floor action, hands crossed behind his back. Something to the effect of
"I'm terrible at just listening" "I almost always jump in (or interrupt - can't remember he's exact word usage here) before she's done" "
2 things..
The nervous laugh, random actions, and the hands behind the back.
Clear sign that where he is.. is not "important". Now I used the "" cause I don't want you to apply the normal definition of the word. He feels that the things that he is being asked to do is not going to result in any thing other than what he has heard before. Liken it to a smart kid in school.. He/She knows the topic that is being taught.. and does not really need to pay attention.. that usually leads to some type of "distraction". I can almost guarantee that your husband does not have a communication problem. I think you implied he was a successful business owner. When you throw that in on top of how a man talks it can get really confusing.
The comment he made is just quite simply confirming what I am saying. He has taken the class and is learning nothing new. You are dealing with someone that has turned the switch off. The body is there.. the mind is thinking about.. football or something. Now.. what you have to understand here is the "teacher" (C) is not making the class exciting enough.. or doing something new that will get his attention. You confirmed it a bit with hoping to catch the C's eye to see if he agreed with you. Look the C should be looking for way's to make it fun and exciting for both of you. If he is agreeing with someone.. its time to find a new one. Or communicate to the C that maybe we need to try something different.
Just food for thought.
"He was on the mat talking & had worked his way around the wheel with his thoughts, emotions, actions, etc. then when I checked what he meant (giving it back to him) is when he kept butting back in and defending what I was giving back to him."
The idea behind the Mat Talking.. is to put a starting point and a stopping point to the conversation. It is not meant to be used as a podium. The key to its use is you have to know when to step off and when not to step on. Example.. he gets on mat and spouts off. Retain the most important point in the spouting.. just one point. You step on and address just that one point.. and step off.
I will be back.. work calls.
Relax Eat Think Act normal React.. Smartly. Do something different. Emulate. Do Work.
