Yanny or Laurel? Communication ambiguity has the internet
consumed with debate. According to experts it’s all about the pitch and
distortion altering what you hear. Face it, people hear and process
differently. One message can create a multitude of perspectives. Receiving a
message is about body language, preconceived ideas and tone. It happens in our
personal life and it definitely affects our communication in business.
Active listening is a choice. Believe it or not, being fully
involved in anything is a learned behavior. You know your story, you are
interested in theirs and you can’t accomplish that by dominating the
conversation. However, there is a fine line between continuous listening and
engagement. You think you know the answers, ask questions anyway. You might be
surprised at the outcome.
Listen to learn not to respond. Author of The 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, Steven R.
Covey, says most people do not listen with the intent to understand. It is
evident immediately. Before your message is complete the listener is already
formulating a response, or often times interrupting with their response.
Engaging oneself is not about responding it is about reflecting. Don’t be
afraid of silence.
Get to the Point. When delivering your message set the stage
and qualify, but you don’t have to go back to the beginning of creation to tell
your story. Craft a concise message that focuses on your purpose so the
listener hears exactly the message you want. Everything else will drift a
listener off course.
Enunciation and articulation are keys to communication.
Clarity and expressiveness can alter a message as can the environment in which
it delivered and the technology used to deliver it. A modern day example
of the old Telephone Game is today’s voice recognition commands, where small
mispronunciations alter the recognition.
The lesson that has come out of the viral debate between
Yanny or Laurel is we haven’t been this involved in an erroneous message since
Dewey Defeats Truman.
