Communication is EVERYTHING!

 “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.”   – Peter Drucker

Introduction

When it comes to human, communication became one of the greatest tools right from when cavemen had to coordinate in hunting or even living. That has grown from mere gestures, signals, symbols to languages. Languages that can be spoken and/or written, were created to communicate, to relay data/information.

Background

Communication does not have to be restricted to language or regional barriers. It goes beyond continents, homes and even beyond human. The primary reason or intent behind communication is to,

Communication originated from the Latin word communicare, which means 'to share' that then evolved to communicatio (Latin) to old French comunicacion, then later to English word (communicate). This has also proven long lasting usage of communication.

Source: Google

So, what is failing to communicate and when can we really consider that we/someone failed to communicate?  Failure to communicate occurs when the sender/initiator and the recipient/receiver do not really have an understanding of what each other is saying in one particular situation or multiple. The effect of this is determined by the situation or the scenario in which communication is lacking and its intensity.

“The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”   – George Bernard Shaw

When it comes to decision making, whether or not they are for important situations, communication is the key to fill in the gaps. When it comes to human, there is a great flaw of assumptions that happen all the time without realization. We assume things based on the past, experience, belief, stories, and other input vectors. Assumptions can sometimes make people feel like they have experienced things themselves and communicate based on the same. Assumptions can vary from,

• he/she can read my mind,
• I thought that the meaning was clear,
• I thought I said that, but I meant this,
• I thought he/she already knew this,
• I thought that he/she understands what I am saying,
• I am an expert, or someone else is,
• other implied meanings.

What is the greatest problem that people face when it comes to communication? Most of the problems in communication get resolved, when people ask questions. Questions will allow the one who talks to clearly explain further, or to learn what the listener is thinking about.

Questions?

Asking questions is one thing, but asking the right question is another. Many can ask questions, but only a few can ask the right questions.

“Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.”
    – Tony Robbins

Asking the right questions is one thing, but asking it at the right place at the right time is another. Let us assume that you are asking the right question at the right place at the right time. Are you asking the question to the right person? Is the person aware of context behind your questions?

Context!

When it comes to communication, the most important is the context, the background, the relevance of the topic under discussion. When it comes to written versus verbal communication, verbal communication makes it easier to communicate with the body language, micro-expressions, facial-expressions, gestures, etc. to give away the emotions behind the communicators.

    “To know an object is to lead to it through a context which the world provides.”
    – William James

But in written communication methods (letters, email, chats, etc.) emotions cannot be transferred from one to another and neither can context until/unless someone explicitly gives the context behind the communication. Without the right context, almost everything becomes meaningless.

 “Taken out of context I must seem so strange.”   – Ani DiFranco

Communication Gap -

When people address about communication gaps, the general misconception is that it occurred due to the teller/sender as opposed to the receiver. A majority of them might also assume that it could be due to the different ethnicity, language barriers or age groups/generation gaps. Taking an opinionated approach in understanding communication gap is not going to fix the real problem. Understanding the real problem is more than half the solution, which means that the problem that is causing this gap needs to be isolated and studied. In some cases, this gap could be due to the difference of opinion (fixed state of mind), experience (different living conditions causing different experiences), knowledge (definitely not the same as wisdom), and other factors. Can the other age difference and/or difference in language cause this gap? Of course, they should. Human beings have the tendency to assume that they are very clear when they are communicators and that it is the listeners problem to comprehend it, while assuming the reverse when the same individual is the listener. How can you identify when and where this gap occurs, when you are involved in a conversation?

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.”   ― Ernest Hemingway

When you start listening more, you tend to observe and absorb more. This way,

• you add context to what the other person is trying to communicate about,
• you get a better understanding of the need/requirement to respond,
• you think (trust me, it is true) about what the key points are,
• you learn more from others (since you do store anchor points),
• you go a far way in learning overall with the simplest conversation.

Conclusion: What is the big deal...

Communication is not simply words, quotes, phrases or sentences, it is not about written or spoken language alone, it is not about body language, micro/macro expressions, gestures, it is not about grammar, spelling, languages, ethnicity or other factors alone. Communication is EVERYTHING! Communication is the key to someone's personal and professional life. A sense of understanding on reality, living, surrounding, happenings, etc. comes from communication, whether we are the transmitter or the receiver. Technically when you are watching news, you are still communicating with your brain from what you obtained through your senses (in this case, vision and hearing). There are always other forms of communication that are not entirely understood by the human race, such as telepathy, superficial and other. This is an ongoing process and we will get better eventually.

If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to address them. You have the Freedom of Speech, so please speak up.

“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”    ― George Washington

Disclaimer: Please note that these posts and what is described in them are for educational purposes only. Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.