12: How is Your Communication?

How is your communication? Do you regularly use the language of inclusion or do you use your words to marginalize certain people? These are important questions to consider, and they can make a huge difference in your relationships and in your business.

Rollo May, an influential 20th century psychologist, said simply and accurately: “Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing.”

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• When you feel marginalized, sidelined, or just not quite included
• The example of my youngest daughter in dealing with her high school as she finishes up her high school degree AND a two-year college program
• Her journey has required grit, self-determination, and self-motivation
• The problem: when she needs to communicate with the high school, she and the other “Running Start” students are not the norm and don’t need the hand-holding that the other students do—so they are marginalized
• She and the others are spoken to with non-inclusive, condescending language
• How do we wade through this non-inclusive language that marginalizes women?
• For example, why use the word “mankind” when we refer to humanity (Doesn’t that marginalize women?)
• Often, we communicate with a lack of empathy
• If we take the time to listen and focus on the feelings of the one who is listening, our language will change
• Why I believe it is the responsibility of the communicator to communicate with the language that you intend and in a way that it can be received correctly
• How the same thing happens in business and the customer WILL go somewhere that they are seen, heard, and NOT marginalized
• “If I feel marginalized by someone’s language, then I’m not likely to want to hear more of what they have to say.”
• What are YOU saying?
• Is our communication open, welcoming, and inclusive?
• Can we continue in a dialogue of family and friendship, or is it just the language of commerce and cold, hard cash?
• Be sure your language is such that includes ALL people!