Do you remember the cell phone commercial with the guy who walked all over the place and every couple of steps would ask, “Can you hear me now?” That commercial was tapping into one of the most common frustrations of cell phones – NO CONNECTION!
There are days I want to throw my cell phone against the wall and jump up and down on top of it! They have the unique ability to get under my skin and drive me crazy. The best part of this scenario is we are paying someone to do this to us! That’s another story for another time. Today you must understand that we are much like our cell phones…if we are not connected, no one hears us!
Our greatest needs include being heard, understood and accepted. We desire these things so much that we dive head first into communicating with others, before we connect with them. This is backwards. Like cell phones, we must connect before we communicate. Getting it backwards leads us to the same frustration we have with cell phones – NO CONNECTION!
We must establish a connection FIRST before we communicate. In every level of relationships, connection is the foundation, but this foundation is oftentimes missing. If there is a problem in your relationships, it’s a connection problem that’s causing you frustration.
Before you try to communicate your opinion, vision, desire, plan, change, idea, or message, make sure you have a connection with the other person or group of people. Once you reach the heart, their ears will open and you can communicate. Lack of connection is the number one cause of not being heard, understood or accepted!
We blame politicians for this every day because they can’t seem to get to a place of cooperation and collaboration, but we are having the same problem at home, work, church, and organizations. When you encounter resistance, blank stares, ignoring shrugs, rudeness, or anger then you know you are not CONNECTED. Start speaking to the heart first and the mind will follow.
Every day we must establish and maintain a connection with those around us before we launch into communication. If you do this, you will not have a problem being heard, understood and accepted.
Can you hear me now?
Find Your Passion and You Will Find Your Life!