January 11, 2008

“I never said that.”

“I don’t care what you said.  That’s how I interpreted it.”

Happy New Year!  In the spirit of all of us needing to be somewhere, I’m thrilled to report that I’m still alive and listening to things people say.  It is also great to know that you’re there, too.  Both of you.

What better way to begin the New Year than to talk about communication.  After all, we talk about communicating a lot.  Yet, the question remains whether we are ever completely successful in conveying our desired message to the right person at the right time and in the right place. 

Spirited discussions regarding the health of a project are great opportunities to evaluate communication.  During one occasion, the manager of a large project was frustrated at the lack of progress being reported during a status meeting.  What started as a spirited discussion rapidly deteriorated into a heated exchange.  Efforts to communicate were thrown out the window and replaced with verbal jabs.  

This “communication” exchange reached its pinnacle when one of the team members expressed indignation at being quoted incorrectly by the project manager.  “I never said that,” he proclaimed.  The reply was an instant classic.  “I don’t care what you said.  That’s how I interpreted it.”

Communicating effectively is tough business.  Perhaps the key word in this week’s quote is “care”.  One side needs to care enough to be clear, succinct, and truthful.  The other needs to take the time to listen and expect veracity.  Both ends need to care enough to reach understanding.  Unfortunately, too much of our communication results in interpretation.  

Do you know what I mean?