Thursday, August 28, 2008

Words Matter

Earlier this summer Senator Obama's appearance in Germany before an estimated 200,000 people was mocked by his opponents as being unimportant and trivial. Obama, it was claimed, is little more than a celebrity in a realm similar to that of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears - amusing at best, but, overall, not to be taken seriously. While my intent here is not praise Obama or to criticize Senator McCain, the arrogance and contempt of the reaction to that particular event cannot be left unaddressed, particularly as it applies to communication.

The next president of the United States will be either Obama or McCain. That's it. Nobody else. What these two men say, how they say it and where they say it matters because it is one of these two individuals who will be representing our country and, as a result, be viewed as the leader of the free world. They are vying for the honor of speaking on our behalf. We as Americans are being judged by them because it is one of these two individuals who we have determined are the best equipped to carry out the responsibilities of the presidency. They, in essence, are us. Consequently, their words do matter. They matter a lot. Certainly, over 200,000 Germans thought so on that summer day. To pretend the words of Obama or McCain do not matter is to do a disservice to all of us. While it is alright to disagree with the words the two candidates put forth, it is not alright listen to anyone who says those words should be ignored or tossed aside like yesterday's potato chips. The words pertain to matters of the gravest consequences: peace, war, hunger, prosperity, health, education, ethics and compassion. They are words that define us as much as the actions we take that are based on the words the two candidates speak.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Communication is in the Air

With the Democrat's convention now underway and the Republican's turn to follow, communication is very much in the air. They talk. We listen. They tell us why they should be the ones who will lead us to better times over the next four years and we make our decisions based on what it is they say. Isn't that the way it works? After all, don't "they" know what's best for us? Don't "they" have the best sense of what troubles us and what can or should be done so that we feel better about our lives and the hurdles we face each and every day? Assuming for a moment that the two parties have the best of intentions and really are coming from a good place, are we confident that they know what is and has been on our minds these past seven years? Have they really been listening to us just as they want us to listen to them now?

Communication at its best is a two-way street. It is circular and comprises an ongoing exchange between two or more parties. If that is not happening, then effective communication is compromised. A government "of the people and by the people" is based on the premise of elected leaders representing the will of the people. If those leaders are not listening, then they are not communicating with us. And if they are not communicating with us, then we are not being represented.

Of course, we want leaders who are honest and knowledgeable and competent. But we also want leaders who are good communicators. That includes being a good listener. As we watch the remainder of the Democrat's convention and then do the same next week with the Republican's showcase, one fundamental question we need to ask ourselves is: Which party has been doing the best listening? Which party and which candidate will be the best listener over the next four years? Theoretically, we place high value on our elected officials being honest individuals. We should place no less emphasis on their ability to listen as well.