Communication is essential to our survival and we all feel driven to somehow “do it better.” There are literally thousands of books on communication that offer us tools and techniques to “get ourselves heard.” But behind all of the hoopla lies a simple yet powerful truth: The meaning of your communication is the response that you get. Why is this so and what are the implications?

Communication between people involves both the giving and receiving of information, signals or messages. Yet many people treat communication as a “push to talk” activity. They go into broadcast mode and when they have said their piece they believe their message has been delivered. If the other person does not seem to “get” the message they simply repeat it - in the same way, over and over – or with minor variations. The reality is, the words or actions of the people who “hear” your message define the message they are receiving, regardless of the nature of the message you think you are sending, or what you intended.

The implications of this concept have the power to change how you communicate forever:

• If you don’t get the response you want you need to change how you are communicating.


• If the message that you want to communicate is very important, and/or if your relationship with the individual(s) you are communicating with is important to nurture and sustain, then it is vital that you accept the responsibly to insure not only that your message is “sent” but also that it is “received.”