HoundBlog

This week has had me thinking a lot about communication.

So much of our daily interaction with fellow beings is done via internet communications or by telephone and it is difficult to impart subtle meanings with the written and facelessly spoken word. Body language and facial expressions add so much meaning to face-to-face conversations. Oh, I know we can use various forms of punctuation such as underline or bolding to emphasize certain words or phrases in the written language and use voice inflections when speaking, but it’s just not the same as hand gestures, smiles or frowns, brow wrinkling — that list can go on and on! I think overall, this lack of personal conversation making us less sensitive to those very things when we do have the opportunity to speak in person. I know I’ve recently caught myself not looking at the person speaking, so miss those gestures or expressions. I’ve gotten so used to looking at the computer screen or concentrating on what I’m hearing that I let my eyes wander when talking face-to-face. And when my eyes wander, sometimes, so does my concentration!

I was taught in my public speaking course (taken way back in the dark ages) that it’s very important to make eye contact and to notice body language when speaking to others. I’m dissapointed in myself for letting that habit get away from me. I used to be someone people enjoyed talking to as I would look at their face and keep my own mouth shut until they were finished their part of our conversation. I still keep my mouth shut or only offer encouraging sounds at most, but I’m not making eye contact like I used to and not watching facial expressions and so I’m missing out on important things. 

It’s sort of like the difference in an orchestra playing with or without a conductor. You can certainly play a musical piece without a conductor, but HAVING that conductor waving his baton, using his body to highlight the highs and lows and imparting his energy into your playing makes the music come to life.

At any rate, my personal goal this week is to work harder at making eye contact when speaking or being spoken to and to notice those things I’ve been missing in conversations.

Got to run — time for work.

Love to all,

Margaret