Hello everyone! I hope you have had an amazing week!
I opened a new fortune cookie this week, and this is what it said: |
| Owl-themed knitting done by me. |
It's up to you to clarify.
Have you ever had a situation where it seemed like you were being misunderstood or that people were talking at cross-purposes? I know I have. Let me share a humorous example:
My husband and I have been together for 11 years, now, but we still occasionally get our signals crossed when it is time to go out together. For some reason, we don't manage to sync up, so we delay leaving the house.
Let's say he's ready before I am, so he'll sit at the computer to do something while he waits. Then I'll finish getting ready, but see he's working on something, so I'll fold some laundry or do another chore while I wait for him. Meanwhile, he'll finish up what he was doing and observe that I'm folding laundry, so he'll start doing yet something else to pass the time until I'm ready.
Do you see the major problem, here? Each of us was ready to go, but never actually communicated that to the other, so we just dragged it out! 🤣
It's a crazy but cogent example of how we could have just clarified our intent. Saying "I am ready to leave now. Please let me know when you are ready," would have solved that problem easily, right?
There are other ways in which we can clarify, too. For example, if the words we are choosing are a) causing confusion or pain, or b) not being heard in the way that we intended, ~OR~ if we're on the receiving end of words that confuse or hurt us, let's make an effort to clarify. Communication is a two-way street, so if you're not sure what's being said, ask for clarification, and if you're not sure you were heard the way you'd intended, offer clarification.
Sometimes, it's too late to do anything about it once words are spoken, and then you're stuck apologizing and explaining instead of having a productive interaction, so hopefully this can help avoid that whole mess to begin with.
Finally, perhaps this fortune is advising us to seek clarity in all ways, right? Clarity of purpose; clarity of thought; clarity of intent; clarity of speech—if we set ourselves up with the right intent, have the thoughts clear in our minds, and know the purpose of what we're saying—THEN we speak—the better our chances of success, not just in communication, but in life.
What are your thoughts about this? How else should we be clarifying? Let me know in the comments below! 👇
Hope you have a great weekend! 🐝
A great post. communication may solve many problems but I also lack it because of my character
ReplyDeleteTake hope, Lucia - you can always work on it. I do, constantly! :) Thanks for your comment!
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