Communication is so difficult

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I had some training this week that really underlined how difficult it is to have a forum like this...I would like to share it with you.

Communication is made up of THREE components.
Together they make 100% of the meaning behind the communication.

Words make up only = 7%
Tonality (tone of voice, how loud, soft, etc) = 38%
Physiology (what your body is doing when you say it) = 55% So your body language is the strongest communication tool you have.

-- Talking to people in person, you have 100% of your communication skills in action. The other person can hear, and see you, and know the words.  Intent is clearest here, but can still be misunderstood
-- Talking to someone on the phone, you lose the physical signs. You are using only 45% of your meaning is being projected, only the sound and the words are used.
-- Writing (letters, emails, forums, blogs, etc) loses physical and tonal. This leaves you with only 7% of your communication skills in use, the words, to get your full meaning across to someone.
WOW. 

And actually you end up under 3% when you add in the differences due to dialects and translation.

 


I worked for Vic from Philippines for 15 years. Spoke Spanish as a native language.
I worked for Tony for 1 year from Puerto Rico also spoke Spanish natively.
I am working for a man from Cuba that again speaks Spanish as native tongue.
My uncle (former border patrol/immigration officer) speaks fluently and even taught Spanish.
My aunt is of Mexican heritage and is native Spanish speaker.
My former neighbor and dear friend was from New Jersey and her family came from Puerto Rico.

The common thread is the beautiful Spanish language, so musical and fluid.  Yet I know if you put them into the same room, there would be so many differences in their spoken language.   My aunt and uncle have proven that many times.     And Margie was very clear to me that her version of Spanish is different than her aunt's and cousin's version, leading to misunderstandings in her own family.

Amazing how much one language can vary with dialect changes. 
No matter where they come from, no matter which version of the language they speak, Spanish is such a pretty musical language. Makes me smile.

I know the source of English is Britain. Yet there are so many variations of it.
The spoken sound of it varies so greatly. And meanings of words can be so different too!  I watched BBC's version of Law and Order and found it to be quite fun hearing such differences in the show I am used to. Things they say, I would never say here, because of different meanings. And even Americans use different dialects of the english language, accents and local phrasing which can confuse things further.


So using only my words (7% of my communication skills) and lowering it to (3%) with dialect and translation differences... I hope this is understood by any who post on this and ANY forum or blog:

I am so lucky to live in a world that has so many cultures.
I am so glad to have differences in the world.
I feel blessed and lucky to have a few represented here.
It is so easy for words to be misinterpreted.
Sometimes intent can be read into phrases or posts when there was none.

Just remember before taking offense at a post you are only getting at BEST 7% of the post meaning, just the words. You are not getting 100% of the meaning behind them.

                 




(edited to correct spelling)

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Very useful contribution, Sami. I have experienced this phenomenon often when using chat media like MSN, especially when chatting with those whose first language is not English. Misunderstandings occur so easily.

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Even when everyone in the discussion is speaking the same language, under the BEST of times, words alone account for only 7% of our communication.  This shocked me. 

Of all the training I have had over the last few weeks, this was the most striking. I have to talk on the phone and email a lot. So they have been stressing to talk on phone! That the meaning is more clearly understood than written form.

I had no idea there was such a vast difference.

Then you add dialect differences and translation, isn't it amazing that forums and blogs with different nationalities or even local customs can get along well?     

There have been times that frustration and hurt feelings have emerged on every forum I have viewed and I now understand how easily it happens. (The Xara forum is full of minor spats, many between people using the same language, understandable when only 7% of what humans use to communicate is being used).

I would guess that forums get a little help from smilies to help convey tone, but it is still not like hearing someone's voice or seeing body language.

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Thanks Sami.

Marketers are known to use Pareto's 80:20 rule and claim the content is only 20% whilst presentation is 80%. People are gullible.

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Here's a link about the communication 55%, 38%, 7% and presentation skills:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Body_Language_and_Communication.html

Mentioning the tone of the voice/pitch of voice and the body language, it is an interesting article about general communication skills and how important body language is for presenters. Also mentions women's high-pitch is less powerful than a lower-toned male voice.  I agree (unfortunately).

Forums and blogs do not get to see body language or hear the tone so we have only the WORDS... definitely a handicap in understanding each other fully.

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It's funny how statistics are created.  And that each person that offers statistics can support with something. All studies point to body language as the main source of communication in humans (from 55% to 80%).  The same studies agree that Words alone account for less than 10%.