relationships – Road to improvement

Trust

14 abril, 2021Publicado en leadershipEtiquetado como relationships, trustDeja un comentario

Little boys and girls trust their parents actions and instructions. Same happens with their relationship with most part of the adults. They are their reference on how the world works, their teachers and translators into it. They simply trust their words and acts.

Adults‘ trust is slightly different. Trust is already our starting point with experts: Doctor’s advice, legal counseling, … They have build their life around a certain matter of expertise. They are who should help us understand how a different world works.

When we feel we have been fooled, more than once, trust fades away. Not sure which one is more difficult to regain the one from kids or the one from adults.

Taking care of our Social relationships

27 septiembre, 2020Publicado en attitude, communicationEtiquetado como balance, interactions, life, relationshipsDeja un comentario

We have a limited amount of time during the day. We need to provide food for ourselves, have restorative sleep, … If we want to make our relationships worthwhile, we need to dedicate them, time. The more is invested in relationships, the less can be dedicate to all the rest of the activities. So, on the long run, the outcome of social relationships must be equal or higher than their costs.

When increasing the number of people we interact with, or the number of different contexts where this can happen, the individual‘s contacts get impacted. We have less energy and availability to devote to our previous contacts and what used to be a pleasant interaction, it can easily turn into occasional and superficial. If we make a cost-benefit analysis, we will come up with the conclusion, that something needs to be left behind. The deepness and close tights of some of our relationships, or some “worthless” interactions.

Sociability and basic needs must be balanced. Our choice. Always. We can not have time for everything. Balance is our mantra.

The importance of considering the cultural factor when communicating

16 marzo, 201816 marzo, 2018Publicado en communication, organizational cultureEtiquetado como communicating, cultural differences, relationshipsDeja un comentario

If we have misunderstandings while speaking in the same language, just imagine what can happen when you don’t master a foreign language.

The act of communicating is not a simple matter. There are many things going on (almost) at the same time.

Active, oral communication, what could possibly go wrong?:

On the talker’s side: thoughts, structured speech, actual speech.

On the listener’s side: message heard, understanding, transformation into thoughts (and will keep in mind).

Expectation and result could be completely different.

Some components in Written communication:

On the writer’s side: Thoughts, ideas, actual written message (Structure and words), dedicated time to what and how…

On the reader’s side: available and dedicated time to reading, momentum, current mood, understanding and transformation into thoughts/into opinions.

If this amazing process takes place when using a language that we do not master, fun increases. We can fall into using Literal translations, words that mean completely different things, local unknown expressions, …

You want to make it better? What if we get into the game of cultural differences? Every single culture has its own way to express emotions, its own way of doing things, of behaving.

When we want to guarantee that we transmit properly, that the other part understands correctly and is able to respond, time is wanted. Please use simple language, structure as much as possible your message. Try to accommodate your information, go for the best tools. Learn what is accepted in the other culture to express emotions: joy, confusion, appreciation, anger, … Just adapt so you transmit correctly (you achieve your goal): Practice, ensure that you employ the intonation, written expression that is required and at the right timing. Make yourself understand.

Show respect towards the other person and ensure you earn respect. The right, specific words at the appropriate time can have a great impact, the one we are looking for.

Stop, think, act/say/write.