Muddled or Clear

The modern office reflects the revolution that’s taken place in the past 40 years with personal computers,the internet,e mail and faxes facilities now taken for granted. But 40 years ago communication was largely by letter via the “typing pool” or a personal secretary who took “shorthand”.

Despite theses advances in the speed and flexability of communications I am not convinced the “quality” has improved.

Charles Kovess Australia's Passion Provocateur asks the question IS THE MESSAGE YOU ARE SENDING TO OTHERS MUDDLED OR CLEAR?"I am including the full extract of his news letter here.

Dear Lindsay

A Passion Point to Ponder 6 September 2005.Welcome to the 8th Passion Point for 2005.

Our goal this year with these Passion Points is to provoke you so that your business, and the rest of your life, becomes filled with more passion, performance, and improved balance of mental,physical, and spiritual elements.

"IS THE MESSAGE YOU ARE SENDING TO OTHERS MUDDLED OR CLEAR?"

"Excuse me, but I couldn't help hearing your English" said the English voice in a foreign restaurant. Or did he say "Excuse me, but I couldn't help hearing you're English"? An English speaking man or an English man?

What a difference a "your" or "you're" can make. Similar sounding words that convey different meanings and, in this case, the difference between communication--when information is received and
understood--and miscommunication.

Miscommunication is usually unintentional, but can be frustrating as well as humorous. Consider the ad that said "Tired of cleaning yourself? Let me do it." Or the hotel that,in describing its wonderful views, said "Swim in our lovely pool while you drink it all in." Or the ad for the sale of a bed--"Four-poster bed, 101 years old. Perfect for antique lover." We know what they mean,they just don't say it that way.

In the difference between communication and miscommunication, punctuation plays a significant part. A recent book by UK literary editor, Lynne Truss, "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" became, perhaps
surprisingly, a worldwide best seller. Subtitled "The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation", it was partly promoted by a T-shirt message, the front of which proclaimed "A woman, without her man,is nothing." The back of the shirt displayed "A woman: without her, man is nothing." Clear messages reversed through punctuation.

There is a distinct lack of punctuation in the headline "British Left Waffles on Falkland Islands"; its absence muddling the message.
Is your message muddled, or reversed? What is your clear message to the world? Just as punctuation can make a difference to the message, so can we. Do you want to make a difference? You may need to discover your passion and its message, before your are ready to communicate it, but when you do, the challenge is clear--you can communicate or complicate, and, in that, you, and punctuation, make all the difference.

QUOTES TO CONSIDER

"Words aren't only bombs and bullets--no, they're little gifts containing meanings." Philip R Roth (1933--), American author.

Do you mean what you say, or does the way you say it confuse?
"Language is the archive of history." Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), American poet, author and philosopher.

Do your strive for greater things, or simply archive them with your message? To your ongoing development of your passionate performance…

Charles Kovess
Australia's Passion Provocateur ©

Copyright- Charles B. Kovess & David J. Wood of Passionate Performance. Republication welcome provided authors are acknowledged & advised at above address. If you want to see Charles on video, or listen to audio, just go the website and follow the links.Click on the link.

For a list of keynote speech topics that Charles would love to deliver in a passionate, entertaining, provocative, and educational way to your teams, clients, or prospects, at breakfast, lunch or dinner, see below.

All 134 published Passion Points to Ponder are on our website. If you wish to review them, please visit the site. If you wish to receive a list of the 134 titles of the Passion Points please let us know.

KEY NOTE SPEECH TOPICS

1 PASSIONATE PERFORMANCE: YOUR KEYS TO MENTAL, PHYSICAL & SPIRITUAL
WELLBEING IN BUSINESS.
2 THE POWER OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
3 THE 7 KEY STEPS TO CREATE OUTSTANDING TEAMS.
4 HOW TO RETAIN THE BEST PEOPLE IN YOUR ORGANISATION.
5 PASSION: THE KEY TO YOUR SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE 21ST
CENTURY.
6 HIGH PERFORMANCE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP IN THE KNOWLEDGE AGE.
7 CHANGE: MAKE IT AN INSPIRATIONAL GAME!
8 A PASSION FOR LIFE, AND LIVING IT!
9 KEY PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
10 7 STRATEGIES THAT GUARANTEE LOYALTY FROM EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS.