A few days ago I had this interchange on Facebook Messenger with an old friend who’d recently joined Facebook:
Friend: “Hi Rhonda. Do you ever look at other ways of making money?”
Me: That is a wide-open question. What are you thinking? And at this point, I’m pretty happy where I am. I’m doing what I feel God has created and called me to do. But I’m curious.
Friend: I recently met someone who is expanding a close to a billion- dollar business in this area and they are going to be at my house on XXX at XX to share the opportunity. Would you be available?
Me: Thanks, but I don’t have time. Need to focus on my business.
Friend: I understand. Would you be open to hearing about getting free wireless service or possibly saving on other essential services (gas, electric, home phone, internet)?
No doubt you’ve had an interchange with someone where it became obvious that the words weren’t all there was to the message. We often can see the lack of congruence when we’re face to face with someone. We can ask clarifying questions to develop congruence if the message is important to us. How do we figure out the full meaning of a communication when we’re communicating by email, social media or even in a letter?
How is Your Message Received?
Taking action as we live out our masterpiece work requires communicating effectively. Regardless of our role, we have to interact with others to accomplish our goals. For most of us, that will require a combination of in- person and electronic communication. Understanding how you are perceived in these different communication mediums will help you communicate effectively across all channels.
How do people experience your message? Is your voice consistent and clear?
We’ve all had someone say one thing to us with their words, but their body language and their tone of voice were saying something completely different. There was a complete disconnect between the messages we were receiving.
Understanding the means through which we communicate will make a huge difference in how we are received. Once we know this, it will help us understand the many misunderstandings that happen in our hyper- connected world. We are hyper-connected, but often talk past each other and don’t listen with the intent to understand the other person.
The Importance of Congruence
Did you know that the words we speak account for only part of the message we’re sending to others? Research done in the 1970’s for face- to-face communication gives the indication that words convey only 7% of our message. The remainder comes from tone of voice (38%)and body language (55%).
Consistency in our verbal and nonverbal messages underscores our message. Our voice is more effectively heard when our messaging is constant. This shows our tribe we will be there with the message they’re counting on. They know what to expect from us now and into the future.
Being consistent and congruent in your message helps you stand out in a noisy, hyper-connected world. When you know the message you want to convey and who you need to share it with, it’s easier to stand out. It becomes easier to take actions that match the message you are sharing so your voice is heard.
Your Voice is important. You have a message to share that the world needs to hear. Share the message in the way your audience needs to hear it. Share it consistently over time. You will stand out to the right people and your voice will be heard.
What actions make your voice easier for others to hear?
