Great Communicators

Humans are communal creatures. We are masters of tribalism, nationality, culture, sub-culture, language, dialect, family, religion, fields of study, etc. - all result from of our need to have group identity. Each of these collective categories bond us together within the group and separate us distinctly from those outside the group. It's what we do. It's how we make sense of things.

Having specialised terms helps us clearly say that which is important to us. Higher learning has its words, phrases and definitions. So do religions, cultures and nations. Heck, so do families - my dad and I have words and phrases that mean nothing to anyone else but bring entire memory clusters back to mind when we use them - thus bonding us again, closer and closer - becoming more like each other and less like everyone else.

Those who successfully speak to others outside their personal areas of specialisation excel at using common language - simple speak. And they make a study of the group they wish to speak to. Christians call this incarnation. Scholars call it 'dumbing down'. Communicators call it necessary!

Good communication is saying it right.
Great communication is being heard right.
Good communicators are educated and articulate.
Great communicators are relational and understood.

Here's a strategy to help you know if you have something ready to truly communicate to those external to your worldview. Explain it to an eight-year-old and ask them to tell it back to you in their own words.