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Talking gooder
Dec. 5th, 2011 01:01 pmCommunication. The mere word implies so many things - written, verbal, body language. Then there is the question of culture, context, translation, etc. Sadly, communication probably combines more incompatibilities than anything. So how do we conquer issues like communication difficulty? If you have the ultimate solution to this, please educate me!
My dearest husbear and I find that communication is one of the ever-changing and ever-refining parts of our relationship. Have we perfected it? Absolutely not! But we have gotten sooooooooo much better than we were years ago. Sometimes, I think back to an in-heated argument that is several years old, and almost have to chuckle. Replaying it in my mind, it is like watching a very old sit-com, where the scenario is just completely out-of-context in the here and now. Yet, a few things still do carry through into the present age when it comes to our communications, and where we run into challenges.
One challenge that we face on a somewhat regular basis is the form of our verbal communication. As anybody who has met my husband knows, he is amazingly eloquent in his verbal communication, whereas I am not. To my husband, words are like the finest and shiniest accessories to an outfit. Only the right size, and right color, and right placement will compliment the outfit. Me? I could take them or leave them. I just want to get the point across. And if I sound like a misedjumicated ignoramous in the process, I really don't care. Or let me put it another way.
We have two things - the actual information, and the words. Let's say that the information is what is inside of the box. The words are the wrapping. When my husband speaks, his sentences come across like a delightfully wrapped present under the tree. The folds are perfect. The tape is not visible. There are ribbons, and bows, and candy-canes, and calligraphed gift tags, etc. In short, the wrapped-present looks like a work of art! But for me, I get very frustrated. Why? Because frequently, I am still missing key information that he left out. In effect, it is like unwrapping the present and discovering that annoying insert, "Batteries not included." Ugh!!!!!!
Then there's me. I think about the batteries. The batteries are there! But when it comes to the gift-wrap, it is generally in a grocery bag folded-over and stapled short. Quick. Efficient. To the point. Simplistic. Functional. Not pretty at all, but all the contents are there.
Is his way better? Well, I'm sure to him it is. He sounds educated and scholarly. And if the receiving of the information is missing anything, he or she should ask for further information. Right? Is my way better? Well, to me, yes. Why? Because if the issue involves meeting to see a movie, I don't need to make a flowery speech to indicate the name of the theatre, name of the movie, and the time we should meet.
When it comes down to it, there is no one right and true way to communicate. Yet annoyingly, there are many, MANY ways to communicate poorly. What say you, gentle reader? What do you consider to be the most critical aspect of communication?
My dearest husbear and I find that communication is one of the ever-changing and ever-refining parts of our relationship. Have we perfected it? Absolutely not! But we have gotten sooooooooo much better than we were years ago. Sometimes, I think back to an in-heated argument that is several years old, and almost have to chuckle. Replaying it in my mind, it is like watching a very old sit-com, where the scenario is just completely out-of-context in the here and now. Yet, a few things still do carry through into the present age when it comes to our communications, and where we run into challenges.
One challenge that we face on a somewhat regular basis is the form of our verbal communication. As anybody who has met my husband knows, he is amazingly eloquent in his verbal communication, whereas I am not. To my husband, words are like the finest and shiniest accessories to an outfit. Only the right size, and right color, and right placement will compliment the outfit. Me? I could take them or leave them. I just want to get the point across. And if I sound like a misedjumicated ignoramous in the process, I really don't care. Or let me put it another way.
We have two things - the actual information, and the words. Let's say that the information is what is inside of the box. The words are the wrapping. When my husband speaks, his sentences come across like a delightfully wrapped present under the tree. The folds are perfect. The tape is not visible. There are ribbons, and bows, and candy-canes, and calligraphed gift tags, etc. In short, the wrapped-present looks like a work of art! But for me, I get very frustrated. Why? Because frequently, I am still missing key information that he left out. In effect, it is like unwrapping the present and discovering that annoying insert, "Batteries not included." Ugh!!!!!!
Then there's me. I think about the batteries. The batteries are there! But when it comes to the gift-wrap, it is generally in a grocery bag folded-over and stapled short. Quick. Efficient. To the point. Simplistic. Functional. Not pretty at all, but all the contents are there.
Is his way better? Well, I'm sure to him it is. He sounds educated and scholarly. And if the receiving of the information is missing anything, he or she should ask for further information. Right? Is my way better? Well, to me, yes. Why? Because if the issue involves meeting to see a movie, I don't need to make a flowery speech to indicate the name of the theatre, name of the movie, and the time we should meet.
When it comes down to it, there is no one right and true way to communicate. Yet annoyingly, there are many, MANY ways to communicate poorly. What say you, gentle reader? What do you consider to be the most critical aspect of communication?
