Why do people communicate with one another? This seems like an obvious question. We text, email, make phone calls, chat online, and use Facebook to convey information. We communicate to let other people know what it’s like to be us, to know what it’s like to be inside our minds. Unfortunately, most of us only look at communication as a way to fulfill our individual needs. We want to be heard. We want to be recognized. We want people to help us accomplish our goals. With such a narrow approach, are we missing a bigger picture?
Why do girls hate it when guys ask them out over a text message? Why does Steve Jobs have millions of Mac Fanboys hanging on his every word? It’s because communication is not simply about conveying information, it’s about conveying the strength of a relationship.
Girls despise being asked out over a text message because what they hear is, “I don’t care enough to call you or approach you in person.” Even though the verbal or written message is exactly the same, the communicated message is entirely different.
Steve Jobs holds millions of dollars in consumer purchasing power in his hands based on this same principle. When most corporate CEO’s speak, they give much of the same type of information as Steve Jobs does. The difference once again is in the communicated message. The typical CEO’s communicated message is “We want your money” while Steve Jobs’ communicated message is, “We want to enhance the quality of your life with our products.”
Next time you communicate with someone, remember that you aren’t just exchanging words, you’re either adding to or taking away from your relationship. There’s no middle ground.
