What did you say?

Unless you are heard, does it really matter what you think you said? I may present the most eloquent, well thought out, completely revolutionary idea, but in the end it doesn't matter if you don't hear it. We tend to think that if we simply restate what we said just moments before (in the exact same manner) that it will all of the sudden be clearer the second time. What I believe is that to be heard, I have to be able to communicate in the way you understand.

This was reinforced to me last night while I was talking with a couple of friends. One of them wants the facts... just give me the steps from point A to point B, the other hears with his heart... tell me a story that I can relate to. So if I wanted to be heard, then I needed to tell them in a way they would understand. Same message, but delivered two totally different ways.

That is the problem. We all have our natural communication style. If someone has the same, then communicating is easier. Trying to explain it to someone with a different style requires some effort on our part. You have to be able to put yourselves in their shoes so to speak. How do they hear? If you want them to get it, then you have to talk their language. Another example of where we have to think about others, when the natural instinct is be concerned more with our own needs or wants.

The problem is even more exaggerated when you are trying to communicate something of importance to a group. You now have an even bigger hurdle to jump as you now have multiple styles of how someone will best hear the idea. Is it important? Then you better plan on saying it multiple ways to the point of where you feel you have maybe over communicated it. Just saying it once or in just one style, you are going to miss a large part of your group.

How do you process the things people try to communicate to you? Can you change your style to talk to someone who hears differently than you? Not easy to do, but worth it if you want to be heard.