TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR COMMUNICATION
If you want to be truly impactful and influential, you must believe that the quality of your communication is the response you get. You must believe that when others don’t engage with your message, that’s your responsibility.
Is this entirely fair? Probably not. Maybe you are communicating brilliantly but the other person has a sick child, or a health issue, or a whole host of other things consuming their mind space.
Is it helpful? Absolutely. When you take responsibility for the impact of your communication, you have the power to adapt until you get the outcome you want. It means you’re in charge and you always have options.
When people don’t engage with our message, our natural tendency is to blame them. “She doesn’t get it.” “He’s not smart enough.” “They’re so defensive.” This response enables us to abdicate responsibility, which may be desirable in the short term, but it takes away our power and potential for influence.
When you believe that the quality of your communication is the response you get, you take back control of your communication and can adapt it until you get the response you want.
INSPIRATION FROM OTHERS
“Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
“Communication works for those who work at it.” – John Powell
QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON
- Do you take full responsibility for the impact of your communication or blame others when your message doesn’t resonate with them?
- What is the impact you want to have?
- How can you improve the quality of your communication to align with this impact?
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