My colleagues and I have the privilege of working with lots of smart people and over the years we’ve seen inevitable changes supported by new research that shows we’re slowly losing some innate and critically important abilities. Interpersonal communication skills are waning in people who have been focused on pure science, technology or some other chosen specialty, especially when those people have now grown up in our constantly wired but socially disconnected world.
Dealing with different people and their biases, unique beliefs and emotions is tough stuff, so oftentimes avoiding people, and the conflicts that they bring to the party, is usually everybody’s chosen option. Check your news feed to see how well that’s working. Almost everything changes … but some things that are actually 2000 years old haven’t – and shouldn’t.
Communication of any kind persuades in some way by either adding to people’s existing understanding, changing perceptions or persuading people to take some action – like to participate in decisions that have some effect on their lives. Here’s another layer to consider. Read More…