Meryl Runion's Management Skill Training Blog on the Communication Challenges facing Managers and Supervisors in the workplace

 

June 16, 2008

Shifting gears.

I subscribe to a wide variety of blogs, and I read them on Google Reader. I read news, politics, financial, marketing, satire and even an astrology blog.

Sometimes I forget what I’m reading, and don’t shift gears when I change genres. I experience this most dramatically when I shift from news to satire or vice versa. I will try to see the humor in a serious news post - or marvel at the absurdity of the world, only to realize I was actually reading satire.

The fact is, we always interpret ideas within contextual frameworks. Contexts are formed based on a variety of factors including communication styles, values, assumptions, past experiences, and previous information. And, yes, what came right before your remark will color the way others hear your comments.

If you ever find a conversation isn’t connecting, take a step back and examine context. Once you share your framework, you might find the conversation goes much better.

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