Communication Basics

Psychology Today recently published a piece on communication. When you look at the communication diagram, and add that research shows 93% of communication is non-verbal coding, I can understand why there is a lot of miscommunication in our world, and especially in digital messaging.

Is texting really an effective mode of communication?

In the world right now, there is one cell phone for every two people. In June 2000, 12 million text messages were sent worldwide. By June 2006, 12 billion text messages were sent worldwide. And my favourite factoid about cell phone domination is: in London they are putting up padding on lamp posts because people have been hurt walking into lamp posts while texting and walking.

*************************

Read the full article at Notes on Parenting.

Learning to recognize others in our lives

Today, let’s do a little exercise.  Don’t worry, not a physical one! I want you to use your imagination.  Let’s pretend you are the driver of a car.  You can have three other people in your vehicle.  I want you to choose three names.  They can be friends, family, coworkers or relatives.  Got them? Good.  Now assign one to front passenger side, one behind you, and the other on the rear passenger side. Assigned your seats? Fantastic! Now let’s go for a cruise!

Cricket & Life: Run Out. Don`t Forget To Listen To Others

A run out happens in Cricket when the batsman is trying to run to the other side of the pitch, but in the process a fielder has grabbed the ball thrown it at and hit the wicket.  A run out usually happens because of poor communication between the two batsman; and due to that poor communication someone is now out.

How often has something gone wrong or been done incorrectly because there was improper communication.  How many times have we said “I thought you meant…” when we didn’t completely understand some ones directions.  Has anyone ever said that to you?

When we communicate well with others success can be had in a relationship, whatever that relationship may be.  It is because the messages are being sent clearly and concisely.  There is no beating around the bush, watering down of the message, or expecting others to rely more on our body language than what we are actually saying.  We can understand each other best when we verbally communicate our desires and wishes.

Let’s take it another way. Do you listen to you parents, friends, or ecclesiastical leaders when they give you advice? 

When we communicate well within ourselves, and start realizing that our parents, family, friends, and other people in our lives have an outside-in vantage point, it can be beneficial for us.  They may be seeing things that we can’t.  They may know something is happening on the field that is in your blind spot.

How about your inner-voice, gut, or conscience, are you listening to them?  The more we listen to our gut, the more it will talk to us.  Our gut feeling is a safety mechanism that lets us know that what we are doing may not have the best outcome.  Listen to your gut; it is a vital tool for your own communication.  Learn to understand it and follow it better.

As we begin to communicate better, we will be able to prevent ourselves from being run out of relationships and ourselves.