Communication is truly an art.  And like a work of art, it can require some interpretation to gain full appreciation of what is being presented and received.

            It is often said to seek first to understand, and then to be understood. That statement is recommending we ensure our understanding of what the other person is saying before we become determined to have them understand us. Unfortunately, an assumption is being made and a step skipped.  The result in many cases is anything but a mutual grasp of meaning.

            The assumption is that we understand ourselves at a very basic level. Recognizing and understanding our emotions, our patterns and what drives our reactions is essential to effective communication.  First, and foremost, we must understand our Self.

            And while most of us think we know ourselves, my experience has shown many don’t. Granted we know ourselves at the conscious level. That’s not all that helpful when most of our behavior, 90 percent, is driven by our subconscious.

            With 80 percent of communication being non-verbal, we may not even realize what signals our subconscious is sending out.  You may realize you are tense, but not know how that’s emerging in your posture, facial expressions and gestures.

            There are a variety of profiles that can help you gain a better understanding of how you interact, and how that is received.  Then you can move onto understanding how our differences interfere, because more often than not, we operate as if everyone sees and thinks the same way we do.  That, too, is a big mistake.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 4:21 pm and is filed under Communications, Culture, General Business.