Saturday, November 18, 2017

Not Natural

Communication is natural. Effective communication is not. Hearing is natural. Listening is not. So, given that, where does that leaves any of us when it comes to maintaining ties with others? Isn't establishing a two-way connection with another supposed to be what we do? The simple answer, of course, is "yes." Humans are social creatures that are driven each day to connect with others. We need the touch, sound, feedback of others to help provide us with helpful information, affirmation, and even some sort of pleasure. Communication at its basic, including hearing, help do that but only to a certain degree.

To get more, that is, to gain a deeper sense of gratification requires a deeper level of out-reach. Yes, we can express our feelings to another, but without some sort of response, then where does that expression leave us? More to the point, where does it leave us when it comes to establishing a connection with another? The answer to that question is "not far." Such a one-way exchange is unfulfilling to both the sender of a message and the receiver of it. To improve upon that or, at least, avoid it is where the hard work comes in. This means doing more than simply putting forth a message that another can hear.

To communicate effectively requires taking the time and conducting the research to properly craft a message that another does more than hear. The proper work results in a message that is understood, engaging and trusted. It is a message that triggers a genuine response. And when that response occurs, active listening comes into play so the originator of the message can and does truly appreciate how well received what they put forth was. Such a basic exchange is not nearly as easy as it may appear. It requires commitment and commitment requires - say it with me - hard work.let us be honest, doing the unnatural is never all that easy.

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