# 30 - 17 April, 2024

CONTENTS

?? Talking with your hands - gestures can be louder than words

?? 10 keys to successful projects & 10 quotes

?? Second helpings - good reading from the web

?? Note to subscribers - an explanation

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Talking with your hands - gestures can be louder than words

In 95 CE, the Roman Quintilian noted: "Though the peoples and nations of the earth speak a multitude of tongues, they share in common the universal language of the hands."

Gestures are your body’s special language! From wild arm flails to Jeeves-like, subtle eyebrow raises, every wiggle and wave helps us say what words sometimes can’t, helping us communicate without making a peep.

Milan Kundera writes with delicate and subtle nuances that are uniquely his. Take, for instance, gestures. In "The Book of Laughter and Forgetting," he writes, "She held her head high and, with each step, jangled the keys in her pocket. The sound was a reproach to all who had betrayed her, a way to show them she was not going to hang herself.” The gesture of jangling keys becomes a symbol of defiance and resilience, turning a simple action into a profound statement. Aficionados of Kundera will recognise his gift.

We can't sit on our hands while speaking

There's no way we can talk without some gesturing. If you hold your limbs and head stiff while speaking, people will consider your stance frozen or zombie-like. If you throw your hands and arms and make contortions with your face, people won't take you seriously; they'll label you a drama queen. Effective gesturing is like good cooking: the right amount at the right time and in the right form. Popular TV newsreaders are a great example of the skilful use of gestures.

Gestures are like emojis, adding flair and clarity to the conversation.

Pointing to an object comes high on the list of early gestures. Uniquely, almost all cultures use the index finger to point.Some cultures reference time by pointing to the location where the sun would have been in its daily east-west trajectory.

There's a name for it

Yes, there is; the study of gestures and gesturing is called "kinesics". It's a field of inquiry within anthropology and communication disciplines. It examines how these nonverbal cues can convey meaning, reveal emotions, and complement verbal messages. This study is crucial to understanding how people communicate beyond words, providing insights into social interactions and cultural norms.

Gesturing is purposeful and can be classified into various types.

?? Emblems have a specific, agreed-upon meaning within a particular culture, like a thumbs-up to indicate approval.

?? Illustrators accompany speech and help to visually explain what is being said, "air quotes" being a common example.

?? Affective gestures indicate emotions and feelings, such as clenching fists to show anger or shrugging shoulders to indicate indifference.

?? Regulators control, coordinate, or maintain a conversation's flow, such as nodding to indicate that one is listening or using hand movements to signal someone to continue or stop speaking.

?? Adaptors are often subconscious and may reflect self-regulation or self-soothing, such as twirling hair or tapping feet.

We gestured well before we learned to speak

When Steve Jobs first introduced the mouse to personal computing, he ran an ad with the tagline that we learned to point much before we learned to talk or write. As always, the man was spot on.

Gesturing, the unsung hero of communication, has been casting shapes since the dawn of time! Long before we were chatting over the fire, our ancestors were likely to be pointing their fingers to get their points across. Imagine trying to share a complex thought with just grunts and mumbles—thank goodness for the power of a good point or emphatic arm wave!?Gestures endow a survival advantage to our species and have lingered over time.

Watch where you gesture

Yes, the same gesture can indeed convey very different meanings in different cultures, underscoring the importance of cultural context in nonverbal communication. Here are a few examples of gestures that have different meanings across various cultures:

? The “OK” gesture: In many countries, forming a circle with the thumb and index finger, with the other three fingers extended, generally signifies “OK,” indicating approval or that everything is fine.

• In Brazil, Germany, and Russia, this same gesture can be considered offensive, resembling a vulgar insult related to a bodily orifice.

? Thumbs up: In many Western cultures, giving a thumbs-up is a common way to indicate approval or agreement.

• However, in parts of the Middle East, such as Iran, this gesture is equivalent to giving the middle finger and is seen as highly offensive and rude.?

? The “come here” gesture: In many countries, you might gesture for someone to come over by extending an arm and making a scooping motion with the palm facing up.

• In the Philippines and other parts of Asia, this gesture is used only for dogs and can be considered very disrespectful if used for people, implying that they are lower than animals. In these cultures, the polite way to greet someone is with the palm facing down and a scratching motion.

? The “V” sign: The ‘V’ sign (made by raising and parting the index and middle fingers while holding the other fingers with the palm facing outward) symbolises peace or victory.

• In the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland, when done with the palm facing inward, it is an obscene gesture akin to giving someone the middle finger.

Sign language is much more than gestures

Sign language didn’t evolve from speech but developed as a full-fledged, natural language system that operates in parallel with spoken languages. They have their own unique grammatical structures, vocabularies, and syntax. As deaf people naturally congregated, sign languages often evolved, creating communities. These communities fostered the development of standardised signs, allowing for the efficient and rich communication necessary for social interaction and education.

Sign languages are as rich and complex as any spoken language. It has:

? Lexical richness: American Sign Language (ASL) has unique signs for different concepts and ideas, often with variations that provide nuances similar to synonyms in spoken language.

? Grammatical complexity: They utilise a range of grammatical tools, including facial expressions and body movements, to convey tense, mood, and aspect—much like vocal inflections and word order in spoken languages.

? Expressiveness: The use of space and three-dimensional movement allows sign languages to express complex scenarios vividly, often more succinctly than spoken languages.

For the deaf and hard of hearing, sign language provides a vital means of communication that spoken languages cannot fulfil without assistance (like lip-reading or hearing aids).

Is sign language better than spoken? It depends on the context. Some studies suggest that sign language can more intuitively communicate certain types of information, such as directions or descriptions of physical states or actions. However, it requires visual contact, which can be a limitation compared to spoken language's auditory nature, which allows for communication without visual contact.

When two people have to communicate but don't have a language in common, gestures are the only available medium for making progress. And, BTW, the universal practice of shouting in such situations really won't help.

#gesture #communication #SIgnLanguage

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10 keys to successful projects & 10 quotes

A good process framework in any field should incorporate several key elements to ensure its effectiveness and adaptability. Here are some of the essential components listed as 10 quotes.

1?? Start with a treasure map

"Begin with the end in mind." - Stephen Covey

• Clear objectives and expected outcomes.

2?? Follow with a KISS (Keep it simple, stupid)

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - Leonardo da Vinci

• The framework should be easy to understand and implement.
• Clear guidelines, roles, and responsibilities.

3?? Pay homage to Demming

"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort." - John Ruskin

• Mechanisms for monitoring and maintaining the quality of work throughout the process.

4?? Use your time and resources wisely

"Do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of." - Benjamin Franklin

• Effective allocation and utilisation of resources, including time, budget, and personnel.

5?? Iterative and incremental approach

"Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty and persistence." - General Colin Powell

• Regular reviews.
• Iterative development.
• Incremental improvements.

6?? Learn on the job

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." - Albert Einstein

• Regular reflection and learning from both successes and failures.

7?? Bend and grow without breaking

"Adaptability is not imitation. It means power of resistance and assimilation." - Mohandas Gandhi

• Allow for adjustments based on project size, complexity, and changing needs, enabling teams to scale their efforts up or down as required.

8?? Put it out in the open

"The art of communication is the language of leadership." - James Humes

• Facilitate open and effective communication among stakeholders.

9?? Play as a team

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." - Helen Keller

• Ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved and engaged throughout the process.

?? Watch out for potholes

“It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.” — Whitney M. Young Jr

• Identify potential risks early.
• Have strategies in place to manage them.

Implementing a process framework that encompasses these elements can lead to more successful outcomes, higher team satisfaction, and a more dynamic and responsive approach to challenges and opportunities.

#project #success

SECOND HELPINGS

CONTENTS

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• Why are so many young people getting cancer? - The revelation of Princess Catherine’s cancer diagnosis brings to light a disturbing trend: cancer is increasingly affecting younger populations worldwide. Adults under 50, once considered at minimal risk, are now confronting aggressive forms of the disease, particularly gastrointestinal cancers. This growing crisis challenges our understanding of cancer and underscores the urgent need for answers as the phenomenon affects individuals and families across the globe, demanding a reevaluation of the factors contributing to the health of younger generations.
• What happens when climate change and the mental-healthcrisis collide? - The escalating mental health crisis fueled by climate change is a clarion call for immediate action. Nearly one billion individuals, including our youth, are grappling with the psychological impacts of environmental disasters. It’s time to prioritise mental health care, innovate interventions, and foster global collaborations with resilient communities to combat these effects.

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• Scientists reveal that human touch can work as a cure - An exhaustive review of 212 studies of 12,966 people has unearthed that a good old-fashioned pat or cuddle from our fellow bipeds or furry friends is pretty much a magical elixir for giving our mental and physical health a hearty boost.Touch is the secret sauce to feeling top-notch.

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• Intentional curiosity: Get your brain to focus on what matters - In the tug-of-war between daily distractions and focus, our brains are constantly deciding whether to indulge in the latest gossip or stick to crafting the masterpiece due tomorrow. The secret to winning? Harnessing intentional curiosity! By understanding how our brain’s attentional field works, we can learn to master the art of focus, turning potential distractions into sources of inspiration.
• Why it’s so hard to feel “enough” — and what to do about it - In a world increasingly preoccupied with self-improvement, the constant pursuit of betterment has paradoxically led to widespread dissatisfaction: an "epidemic of self-hatred," fueled by societal pressures and incessant marketing. Yet, this pursuit often overshadows the potential for genuine contentment. The quest for improvement, while natural, demands a balanced approach to ensure it enhances rather than detracts from our happiness.
• Life is hard. Can philosophy help? - In this reflective and introspective interview with philosopher Kieran Setiya, the discussion delves into how philosophy equips us to navigate life's inevitable hardships, particularly during midlife. His philosophy, succinctly captured in his phrase "Life is Hard," emphasizes embracing life's difficulties without delusion, and finding solace in the richness of our lived experiences. The key sentence from the interview, which encapsulates Setiya's philosophical stance, is: "Really living well, or living as well as you can, is about dealing with the ways in which life is hard."

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• The web became a strip mall - In 1999, while crafting corporate websites, the author was taken aback by the sale of Business.com for a then-astounding $7.5 million, highlighting the zenith of the dot-com bubble where internet domains were the hottest property in digital town. Fast forward, and the charm of owning a catchy “.com” has waned, replaced by the quest for viral fame on big tech platforms. He muses on the evolution from digital land grabs to prioritising content and connectivity over a catchy web address.
• How deep does life go? - Humanity’s quest deep beneath Earth’s surface and into the ocean’s abyss reveals a world teeming with microbial life, thriving in the most extreme conditions imaginable. These discoveries, from the ancient depths of the Galápagos Rift to the potential for life on Mars, challenge our understanding of life’s resilience, hinting at a universe brimming with unseen wonders.

An explanation to subscribers

Over the last few weeks, you may have noticed regular duplication between the weekly newsletter contents and posts or notes. Here's an explanation.

Substack hosts my main website. It can be accessed using https://p-rescription.com, which will redirect to this Substack site . I also have an active presence on LinkedIn: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/arjunrajagopalan/, and my newsletter there is: https://www.dhirubhai.net/newsletters/p-rescription-7127593002511826944/.?

Understandably, I keep working on strategies to maximise the exposure of my writing. This means I have to devise workarounds for the algorithms that control how my work is shown. I use several methods.

Newsletters are the best method on both platforms, Substack and LinkedIn, to ensure that readers get my work without fail. Every subscriber will get an email newsletter until they unsubscribe.

However, this involves signing up subscribers who have to first be shown my work. I am at the mercy of the "algorithms" for this.

The algorithms, particularly on LinkedIn, are tricky things beyond my direct control. The number of "impressions" I can get on any post is totally random. There is very little correlation between my own evaluation of the piece and the number of people who get to read it. A good number are not subscribers. There are some things you can do to "game the system," but they don't always work.

In an attempt to make my writing visible to a larger audience, I post selections from the newsletter as individual posts or notes.

Hence the duplication. I trust you will understand and support my behaviour.