People laugh when I say that is my philosophy on communication but it is true. I can go on about how over stimulated we are in today’s 24/7/52 world but communication has always been like this. People listen more than they hear. If you want someone to hear you, then you have to help them move from listen to retaining what they hear. That has to be about them and not you.
People hear things differently and at different times, in different ways and they aren’t always the same. In general I want to read to comprehend but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes I actually do listen to people speaking to me ;) but sometimes I need a video. It depends on the message and what is going on in the surrounding environment.
The take away point is if you want people to hear you, make it easy for them. Don’t get mad at no and always be comforting and reinforcing. In fact, that is a pretty good rule for all business relationships.
Tell them. Tell them again. Tell them a third time using a different method of communication. Don’t get mad when they say “You never told me.” Repeat until successful.
Try it. You will be surprised by how easy and successful it is.
photo credit: ScoRDS via photopin cc
