Understanding Me

This is a project that I've done at least three times before. So I try to find a different angle or way to tackle the project. In this case, I tried a different approach - going outside the box to describe my style. It makes the project feel fresh, at the very least.

How do I communicate? That is a question I rarely ask myself. After all, we’re taught to talk at an early age. But talking isn’t communicating. After all, Communicating is a sharing of ideas - and talking is just one of two sides… the talker, and the listener.

So… am I a listener? Any Toastmaster can be a talker - we’re trained to talk… and talk real good. But are we also trained to listen?

Yes. After all, if we are to give feedback later, we need to listen, we need to absorb, discern what we heard, then consider alternatives to making the talk better… then, and only then can we give feedback.

But how about outside of Toastmasters? Do I practice this as well? Here’s how I’d look like in a meeting.

I’m quiet:

I am normally the quiet guy - but not because I’m shy. If I need to report, I can easily do that - but I’m not one to hog the limelight and speak for hours in front of others. Not that I can’t mind you - I have been a Corporate Trainer for decades. I’m used to lecturing for hours.

So when I say I’m the quiet guy in the room, it doesn’t mean I can’t participate - on the contrary, I am participating by listening, understanding, maybe asking a clarificatory questions. I’m in absorbing and observing mode - specially during team meetings.

I’m a sponge:

Soaking up the ideas and or contents presented me.

Given what I hear or get shared with, I can think, I can extrapolate - then squeeze out what I’ve absorbed - I share what I know, or understand… maybe even infer some things.
This is another speech I composed for a Toastmaster Pathwya project. One that focuses on communication styles.

This is me showing you that I listened, and understand.

I’m like crystal… or I’d like to be.

I try to break down complex ideas into something easier to understand. Again, this is from my background as a Business Analyst.

I know how systems work (with procedur)
I know how developers think (logically),
I know how business owners think (what is easier to implement and does not cost too much),
I know how end users think - okay… maybe that last one can be a challenge.

But I can explain to them in simple terms what the system, as designed, is suppose to help them.

In that sense, you could say I’m an interpreter. I tell management what can be done and how things can be more logical - and I tell the developers what needs to be done… what rules need to be followed - even if they sound illogical.

Lastly… I can be a conductor.

Communicating how to put things together - which must come first, and why.

I appreciate a symphony - not cacophony. And you get such symphony when people collaborate smoothly.

If that happens, I know I communicated well. If not… well, we try again.

Bonus (if there is time), I do a plus / delta analysis with my team, always emphasizing the lessons learned… and great things we could repeat

This is me… this is what I do, and how you can understand me.

How about you? Have you given yourself a thought? Do you understand you?