Humor: Communication Matters…
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw
Humor: Communication Matters…
Fishing Faith
One day a Pastor and a Brother took a Visitor fishing by boat. Once in the Middle of the lake, the Pastor said, “I seem to have forgotten my fishing pole, be right back,” and to the visitor’s amazement, he stepped out of the boat and walked on top of the water towards the shore. When he returned, the Brother said, “I need to use the restroom, be right back!” Again, the visitor watched in amazement. Once the Brother returned, not wanting to be outdone, the visitor said “I need to use the restroom too.” As soon as he stepped out of the boat, he sank. The Pastor nudged the Brother and said “We should have told him where the rocks were.”
How do you generally communicate? Talk first, listen after? Listen first, then talk? or some variation of both? Sometimes, we think we are communicating with others when, infact, we are listening to the beat of our own drum, making up assumptions based on incomplete information, or blindly following a line of discussion to the bottom of the sea. When we take time to communicate, we not only respond to matters directed at us, but we ask questions, listen attentively and then respond accurately. The visitor on the boat didn’t even care to ask; How did you learn to walk on water? How often do we engage in similar behavior? We might jump to conclusions or assume that actions taken by X mean Y. Even when a situation appears clear and obvious, it might not confirm what we think anyway.
“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” Anthony Robbins
Humor: Communication Matters…
A Dying Deed
Sylve was dying.
His wife sat at the bedside.
He looked up and said weakly, “I have something I must confess.”
“There’s no need to,” his wife replied.
“No,” he insisted, “I want to die in peace.
I slept with you, your sister, your best friend, her best friend, and your mother!”
“I know, I know,” she replied. “Now just rest and let the poison work.
Perception is reality but not always fact. As Tony Robbins explains in the quote above, we all perceive the world differently and therefore, we must take that difference into consideration when we communicate with each other. How many times have you had an exchange with a friend about getting together? What follows the statement? Right, they usually ask follow up questions to ensure they have all the facts about meeting someplace … Sometimes, depending on the tone in which the exchange was made, there might be no further discussion because either the friends don’t plan to meet soon, or know where they always meet. But we should never assume we know or sadly, we’d be like the dying man above… More below!
“Deep listening is miraculous for both listener and speaker. When someone receives us with open-hearted, non-judging, intensely interested listening, our spirits expand.” Sue Patton Thoele
Humor: Communication Matters…
A thief was caught after stealing some paintings from the Louvre in Paris, when his getaway van ran out of fuel.
Given bail at his first hearing, a reporter asked him on the steps of the courthouse how he forgot such a vital part of his plan.
“Simple,” said the thief, “I had no Monet for Degas to make the Van Gogh.”
When we listen attentively to each other, we might pick up cues that help us understand a situation or, in the case of the thief above, we might understand what he means even when he substitutes the name of a great master to explain his reason for getting caught. Communication matters to all of us but, until we truly listen without preconceived ideas or judgements, we will continue to hear only what we wish to believe… and that is not communication. Have a Great Day!
What are your thoughts? What do you hear when you truly listen? Do you have a humorous story to share about a miscommunication you experienced? Does adding a touch of humor help you share difficult subjects? Do share! Thank you. 🙂
*Please bear with me as I catch up on your blogs and commenting… Thank you all for your patience! 🙂
Positive Motivation Tip: A touch of humor can help us communicate better, but we still have to listen and ask pertinent questions.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photos via Wikipedia and/or Communication by Koshyk, Communication2 by P Shanks, via Flickr
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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the 1st photo is hilarious. Do you listen better or talk louder with such a BIG PHONE?
Maybe both! 😆
Very funny, Elizabeth – thanks.
Thanks for checking in! 😉
Oh…the ways we attempt to communicate, sway, convince…so many “styles”… a lesson for me to learn to become more flexible when communicating with others. Children sometimes offer us the transparency in their own ways of communicating…they are still so transparent…here’s a wonderful (!!) audio of a dad asking 2 little girls about why one cut the others’ hair….I can see my own communication styles in their responses…I’m just better at the excuses/justifications than they are…. really adorable audio here http://www.prx.org/pieces/73865-two-little-girls-explain-the-worst-haircut-ever#.T_S-ai5iEbw.email
Great! Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out. We all have our styles but can work at really listening to others… 🙂
Oh my gosh! Why can I only like this post once?!? I LOVE this! As the mom of a son with ASD, I am constantly trying to explain my child’s differences in receiving and offering communication. The quotes and the laughs in this post combine to say what we should keep in mind for everyone! Well done, my friend! 🙂
TY Karen! It has been on my mind a lot lately because there is so much miscommunication or re-invention of fact that I sometimes sit and shake my head at it all. We need humor too. 🙂
Wow. This is most timely, bearing in mind the huge racket that broke out in our Parliament this week, with our political representatives shrieking and yelling at each other. It ended with a walkout by Opposition members. NOBODY was listening to anyone else. It was an exercise in lack of communication. To the horrified Jamaican public (we were very upset by this exhibition) they communicated nothing either – except that they have no interest in dealing with the affairs of the people… I used to work in communications and of course I know that that “illusion” that Mr. Shaw spoke about exists!
I know that illusion too, sadly… 🙁
Dear Elizabeth, this is the best yet, so well written, with perfect photos. Best of all, I love the way you illustrate your point with stories. It reminds me of a really good book, Plato and and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar.
Thnak you Naomi! I should read the book then. Love the title. 😉
I’m sure you would enjoy it!
Thank you!
Love the Duck’s PMA
LOL – I LOVE the Daffy Duck (is it?) I should steal that!!!
Communication is so simply and yet so very difficult. It’s so easy to get stuck in our own mindset and lose the reciprocity of communication. I think the quote by Anthony Robbins says it all. Communication for me is to accept that I don’t have the answers even when I think I do.
I love that Bernard Shaw quote!
I love these jokes! Please may I use them?
What an unique collection.
Lol! Forwarding that Sue Patton Thoele quote to my dear husband 🙂
Daffy Duck is SO me today! Thanks so much for this communication events humor posting.
Humor is one of the most important elements in a happy life. 🙂 Just wanted to let you know that I’ve passed along several blog awards to you, Eliz! http://viviankirkfield.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/and-the-winner-is-awards-and-a-giveaway/
Happy Summer!
Haha – love the GBS quote. Ths morning, my husband and I were discussing the whole listening aspect of communication in the workplace. I once worked for someone who used to say. “My understanding is the meaning of your communication”. 🙂
TY! Interesting comment from your former co-worker… I like the idea! 🙂
Great post, Elizabeth. I love all the jokes!
This was a delight to read, Elizabeth! The joke about the poisoned dying man who makes a deathbed confession, made me chuckle out loud. Being hearing impaired I communicate by watching body language and keeping my mind still. I find if I am in my head while listenening, I will “hear” less.
Oops, typo meant to say “listening”…
This was way funny with the “Dying Deed” story being the funniest! 🙂