During a recent dinner with some former colleagues, I was early so I got us a good table and waited for their arrival. I was seated comfortably and a friendly waitress took my drink order. While waiting, a couple walked in and they were directed to a table in front of ours. Always being someone curious about human behaviour, I, pleasantly was observing them. The man was busy with his mobile phone and so his partner placed all the orders including drinks. The partner started communicating with a smile and I could notice that the man was just nodding his head away and being busy with something on his cell phone. Moments later, the pleasantry on the partners face disappeared even though she was still keeping a conversation. The man was oblivion to what was happening around him.
Let’s look at a business situation. Do we have leaders who are adorned with such behaviour? What would be the outcome if our leader’s communication style reflects the above incident? The communication is lopsided. Listening has been ignored. Relationships are damaged. What ever happened to believing in the great advice from Dr. John Maxwell who said “Everybody communicates but few connect.”
When we are connected with the people we communicate with, there will NOT be hindrances that are stopping us from attentive listening and that the person who is speaking is important to us. When we practice this on a daily basis, we can be connected.
Here is how the dinner for the couple went on. The dinner arrived and the man started eating with a sour face because he did not like what was ordered. Is it the fault of his partner? How much he could have enjoyed that dinner in the company of his loved one without being busy with his mobile phone? None of us are perfect and we are guilty of such behaviour. Let all our communication dilemmas be a lesson for improvement.
