I See

I often use the phrase "I see."
Personally, I intend to use it with a fairly positive connotation.

If I freeze up while saying "I see..." during a conversation, it means I have found (or feel like I am about to find) a keyword or piece of data that could lead to a new insight. At that moment, I am excited, and I am likely staring off into the distance and chewing on my lips.

Of course, I cannot say "I see..." to superiors or business partners, so I use "That's true..." instead.

However, many (or rather, many past) bosses have disliked this "That's true... (staring into the distance + chewing)" habit of mine. I was often scolded for it when I was younger. From the other person's perspective, it probably looks like I am not listening to them.

Well, it is true that at that moment, I am not listening to what the other person is saying. After all, I am busy organizing the insights (that I discovered during the conversation) in my own head...

What makes it troublesome is when a boss says something that sounds good (but actually lacks substance).

I am quite serious, so even in such (substance-less) conversations, I try to find some kind of insight. When that happens, I end up staring into the distance and chewing more often (even though I haven't found anything yet).

No wonder I get scolded.