COMMUNICATION: How do you prefer to communicate?

15th March, 2018    |    By  Project Rockit    |     1.6k

In Episode 2, we hear from people who prefer to communicate in ways other than talking – through sign, singing and speech aids.

  1. What is your preferred way to communicate? What the benefits and challenges of communicating this way?
  2. How do you think we can build awareness and better understand people who best communicate in ways other than talking?
  3. If you could learn a new form of communication overnight, what would it be and why? Want more resources like these?

Head to www.projectrockit.com.au/contact/ to stay in the loop! Produced by Momentum Studios Australia


Also check the related topics:  

Managing friendships Self esteem

Video provided by Project Rockit

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COMMUNICATION: How do you prefer to communicate?

Hey, did you know that in one internet minute there are like three million Facebook posts, 400,000 tweets, and something like 200,000 photos uploaded to Instagram every minute?

Whoa.

I know! That is a lot of words. I just love how, online, we have the ability to totally brighten up a friend’s day if they’re feeling down with, like, a funny comment or meme. But sometimes, the stuff we say online can go horribly wrong.

Yeah, like when your mom thinks that LOL stands for “lots of love.”

“Danny, come home. Your grandma is sick. LOL.”

Whoa, Mum!

“XXXX, Mum, why are you laughing?”

Awkward.

Oh, what about when your friend goes way over the top with the caps lock, and you read their message like this:

“I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR AGES! DUDE, I TOLD YOU WHERE IT WAS! RUNNING LATE! I’VE HAD A REALLY STRESSFUL DAY, AND THAT JUST MADE THINGS WORSE!”

“Oh my god, no, I didn’t mean it like that! I was typing in all caps because I’m really excited to see you! Take your time, sorry.”

Enough with the caps lock!

Or the good old autocorrect fail:
“You are sorry sweet! You’re my knight in shining armor!”

“Oh, no, not ‘a pitama’—autocorrect is ruining my life!”

So, we know that miscommunications happen a lot more often online, but what about when someone’s just deliberately super harsh because they’re angry or they feel like they can get away with it?

It’s one thing to say these awful things, but let’s flip it around for just a minute and hear out loud what it might be like to receive it:

“In fact, I’m ugly, and no one likes me. I messed up real bad. I’m worthless, and I’m going to be alone forever. No one likes me. I don’t deserve to be here.”

Whoa. How harsh is that? I mean, most of us would never say those things in real life, so why should it be any different online?

The reality is, we have the ability, with the stuff we say, to make or break a person’s life. I know it sounds full-on, but everything we say online is going to have an impact, either positive or negative.

Yeah, so next time we’re about to hit post or send, we should ask ourselves a few questions:

  • Am I saying what I really mean?
  • Can the person tell if I’m just kind of joking around?
  • Am I calm enough to say something that I’m not going to regret?
  • Am I talking to the real person behind the screen? Like, would I say it to their face?
  • And most importantly, is my grammar correct?

Okay, I’m joking about the last one, but it’s always good to proofread.

Look, if you answered no to any of those questions, just think: stop and check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Let’s never underestimate the power of words because, with them, we can change a person’s whole life—for better or for worse.

Video by Project Rockit