Communicate, you can make your world better

Have you listened recently to the way we communicate in our society?

In our politics and media? Locally, nationally? At our workplaces? In our families? Inside ourselves?

What do you hear?

In Dr. Margaret MacMillan’s history of humanity’s war & conflict, she wrote that we are, more than ever, “readier to suspect hostile intent,” and barring some revolution in human consciousness, conflict will continue to be part of our story.

I hear this “assumption of hostile intent” underlying every level of our interactions.

I’m a father, a husband, and a member of several communities, from which I have benefited, so I would be ignoring my responsibilities if I were to say that hope for our future lies with the next generation. I don’t want to leave my kids and their generation with the burden of cleaning up the mess that we all contribute to.

After having lead interpersonal communication workshops for a wide variety of people, I believe more than ever that we have to be taught how to listen, communicate, negotiate, and disagree with respect and civility.

We’re certainly not taught this in school, at least not effectively.

I also believe that if more people could and would communicate, we could solve any problem. Any.

Unfortunately we’re not taught how. We’re not even taught to listen to what’s really going on inside us when we’re frustrated with others. We’re instead taught to stuff down our emotions or to “fight for what’s right” by demonizing other humans.

Yet, every day, with the teams and leaders I coach, I am continually amazed at how human connection paves the way for accomplishment. We have all seen diverse groups of people come together to achieve great things.

They (we) do this by talking to each other constructively.

Communication is a skill you can learn, and it will make your world better.