Who's lying?

It's all a matter of perspective!

The way we communicate and interpret what someone else says is greatly influenced by a wide range of factors. Often, we forget, or simply don’t realize, that the person we’re speaking with may have a different perspective than ours, one shaped by their own life experiences.

Defining words to prevent conflict

The first element to consider is the definition of a term or expression. We don’t all define words in the same way. A good example is the term “woke.” For some people, it’s a pejorative label used to describe individuals who want to impose their ideology on others. For me, being “woke” simply means being aware of social inequalities in our society and wanting to challenge them in order to end systemic and intersectional discrimination. Which means that someone who believes they are insulting me by calling me “woke” is actually giving me a compliment, according to my perspective!

How our personal experience impacts communication

There are, of course, many other factors to consider when communicating with others. The message we want to convey is shaped by our personal experiences, our choice of words, our culture, and the communication medium we choose (to name just a few). And the same is true for the person receiving our message, they interpret it through the lens of their own life experiences. This is why it’s so important to ask questions and seek clarification to ensure we truly understand the other person’s perspective.

Moving beyond power struggles in Communication

When we recognize that it’s almost certain the person we’re speaking with does not share the same life experiences as we do, it becomes easier to approach conversations with empathy and a genuine desire to understand, rather than trying to convince them that we are right and they are wrong. By doing so, we work together to find solutions that suit everyone, instead of engaging in a power struggle where one person must win and the other must lose.

In Conclusion…

Interpersonal communication is inevitable, irreversible, and unrepeatable. Once something is said, we cannot take it back. When we take into account the many factors that influence how we send and receive messages during a conversation, we greatly reduce the risk of conflicts that cannot be resolved in a satisfying and effective way.

It’s all a matter of perspective!