Most everyone realizes the important role of good communication in a relationship. We probably could swap stories all day about funny miscommunications that leave us with our heads tilted and thinking, “really?” Often these misinterpretations could have easily been avoided with proper communication tools in place. For instance, did you realize that between 60-80% of communication is non-verbal (variance due to different cultures). It is the body language, facial expression, amount of eye contact, tone of voice that often communicates the true message in our words. The irony is that our culture seems to be moving away from face to face communication and more toward the written word, or more accurately, the written abbreviation! This makes good communication skills even more important because the written word lacks the nonverbal pieces mentioned above giving way to the greater possibility for miscommunication.
Styles of communication can vary greatly depending on our culture, temperament, education, age, gender, and even certainly our personality. Some may describe themselves as “detail” communicators, while others are more “abstract”. For example, we have all heard stories of how different types of people, give different travel directions. “Stay on the same road until you pass the big oak tree on the left, keeping going until you see the hardware store, then turn left; and if you see the fire station, you’ve gone too far” as opposed to, “Stay on Main street for 3 blocks then turn left onto Maple Drive”. Neither is correct or incorrect, just different.
There is a story in my family, passed around for many years, that is a very good example of different communication styles It was time for our twelve year old son to learn how to do laundry. The day of instruction I was at my office and he was at home on summer break from school. He called me shortly after waking with a sleepy voice but willing spirit.
My biggest concern was that the right clothes were washed together and that he used the proper temperature of water. I began this monologue of teaching about the importance of each. I went into great detail about how to sort the different clothes types, the amount of detergent, how to use bleach, the different drying cycles, which clothes to hang up instead of using the dryer, where to find the supplies; I mean, I had a rhetoric that could have been used in the instruction manual from the manufacturer. My studious son was taking it all in, I could tell because he was throwing in an occasional “uh-huh”. I felt good about the communication process.
As I ended my directive speech, I asked him if he had any questions (feeling confident that I had covered everything so thoroughly I couldn’t imagine that he did, but it felt like a “connecting” kind of question to put out there). As he walked through the house carrying the phone I could hear him opening the door to the laundry room, pondering all that was in front of him. He was quiet while he was lining up the instructions with all that surrounded him. And then he said the words I will never forget, “I just have one question, which one is the washer and which one is the dryer?”
What….just…happened…here?
We have laughed about this incident for years! But there are actually some valuable pieces of information to take away from this encounter regarding communication styles. If we are aware that there are different styles of communicating, we will become less frustrated when our message is not received.
The way in which we choose to speak is only half of the process. It is a common mistake to forget that communicating includes listening as well as speaking. Are we really listening to the message, taking in all of the words, inflections and non-verbals? Or, are we nodding our heads and secretly preparing what we are going say next? If tested, could we correctly and precisely reflect what the person just said to us? This is a skill that is extremely important in our intimate relationships, but also can be vital in a business transaction or even a parent/teacher interaction. Not only will reflective listening show respect to the other person, but it will also provide space for clarification. This is just one example of an important communication tool. There are many others that can be learned, practiced and implemented into our lives during session with any of the counselors at Gilstrap & Associates.
At Gilstrap & Associates, we have worked with many combinations of people trying to communicate; spouses, parents, teenagers, young children, grandparents, teachers, employers, business associates, co-workers and different blendings of these individuals. Please call our Orlando office if you would like more information on how individual counseling, marriage counseling or group counseling, or even a workplace seminar could help improve communication in your world. Do not be left wondering if your message was received as you intended it.