How Do You Communicate?

DweezelJazz — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 07:00:00 +0000

How do you communicate? Almost certainly there are many answers to that question. We all communicate in an infinite variety of ways, some of which we may not even be consciously aware of.Communication is one of the most fundamental building blocks of family, business and society in general. Order and understanding arises out of successful communication. Every person has a unique viewpoint. Listening and observing is crucial to sharing with and enriching one another. We can gain an appreciation for many things that are beyond our own personal experience by learning from what others have to say.Each form of communication involves a host of intricate nuances. For instance, in speaking we assume that the listener’s comprehension of the meaning of a word is the same as our own. This basic premise is something we often take for granted. Or we may think that the listener is able to process information as quickly as it’s delivered; so we may expect them to fully comprehend a situation as soon as we’ve finished describing it.Sometimes these assumptions are correct, sometimes they’re not. If they’re not, misunderstandings can arise which may not be a result of a difference of opinion, but which occur due to a difference in the premise of communication and of the speed with which that communication is fully understood.We communicate in all sorts of ways: speech, writing, equations, pictures, works of art, body language, music. These expressions become a part of our culture and we often rely on our knowledge of references to historically established meanings, such as symbols or events.People differ in their preferences of communication and excel in different ways of expressing themselves. Some prefer to write, draw, talk, dance, sculpt, sing, play an instrument, prepare food….Equally, we all have a means of expression that we find easiest to comprehend.Vital and common to all forms of communication that result in a beneficial outcome are:a positive approach to the subject being considered, andan inherent respect for the listener or observer. Including these two aspects as a basis for any expression or conversation provides an optimal arena for successful understanding. Easy as it sounds, it’s surprisingly difficult to remember all the time.

DweezelJazz Art Blog » positive approach

How Do You Communicate?