Communication and how hard it is

I appreciate the concept of whānau, the extended family. It's about the people I consciously choose to keep close, those I rely on for support and with whom I share a mutual bond. They might not necessarily be blood relatives, but they hold significant roles in my life.

Then there's the idea of whanaungatanga. It's defined in the Māori dictionary as a sense of kinship and connection through shared experiences and collaboration. Initially, I perceived this concept as predominantly positive, with harmonious relationships. However, upon deeper reflection, I realized that shared experiences encompass both the good and the challenging aspects. Therefore, whanaungatanga embodies also the ability to navigate through difficult conversations, embracing conflict while fostering an environment for understanding.

Recently, during a team planning session in Palmy, we likened our unit to a work whānau – the colleagues we spend the most time with and collaborate closely. However, the planning sessions weren't as smooth as anticipated; conflicts arose. It became evident that despite many discussions, there was a lack of active listening. We were all talking, but not sure how many people were actually listening. How can we truly collaborate, and understand one another, if we don’t fully listen? 

Remember those times when your voice wasn't really heard? That frustrating feeling of talking into thin air? Did you persist in making your point across or give up? What happened next?

Reflect on those instances where miscommunication led to a sudden 'aha' moment. The relief, perhaps even the humour in the mix-up – how did it feel to finally align?

Back to my work trip, a conversation triggered thoughts about the reception of our messages. Repeating myself seemed futile as it appeared my intended message was lost in translation. It struck me then – communication complexities. A statement like "We can't fit that into our schedule" aimed to highlight our workload, yet was interpreted as dismissing the suggestion. The same words, vastly different interpretations.

Communication poses challenges, but what if we made that extra effort to ensure we’re on the same page? Checking in, making sure our messages are understood – maybe that's the secret for better connections and solid whanaungatanga all around.

‍

With curiosity

Mags

Photo by Bewakoof.com Official on Unsplash

‍