Some things are hard to forget. Others you may need to write down. Or at least take a picture for memories sake…or to blog about.
What message are you trying to communicate? We lose a lot of people in our messages. There are plenty of situations w here this is true, in numerous aspects of life. The message we intended to send got caught in the wires and a different understanding was heard or read. Sometimes it is the fault of the one receiving, possibly reading between the lines or just not listening. Sometimes. It happens.
Ask something like: “What do you mean?” or “Did I understand you correctly?”
But there is the actual delivery of the message. Often we are guilty of not taking the time or effort to insure that the message is clear and understandable. There is a certain level of vigilance required in helping others understand, and this moves beyond the individual message itself. It takes relationship and intentionality to grasp how the message can be received to its fullest extent by the one with which we are communicating. And it means we must work to provide clarity to the other person.
Ask something like: “Do you understand what I am saying?” or “Do you need me to clarify my point?”
Listen to what you say and write. Did it require a previous conversation? Or was it passive to the point where only inside knowledge would decode what you just said? When we take people for granted, assume prior knowledge, or simply do not have the patience, we communicate poorly. Good communication builds trust and gives a strong sense of honesty and transparency. At the very least, it makes those things much easier, and creates a venue for reciprocity.
So what was happening on the 16th?
I had to ask my dad what this calendar entry meant to him. This was after we all giggled about it for a while. Obviously, Dick was getting his false teeth worked on, and needed a ride to the appointment.
Of course, clear as a bell.
Lead Freely 