You may wonder how my title could possibly relate to this picture. The image shows me and Teddy having one of our deep conversations. At first glance the idea of having a deep conversation with a dog is laughable but it depends on how we define deep. Teddy and I were not discussing the meaning of life. You can see the look on his face shows deep concentration. He is listening very carefully to what I’m saying. This is key to good communication. Listening, creates the opportunity for understanding.
The level of this conversation is pitched at Teddy’s level. I’m giving him an instruction, or I’m praising him. This is another important aspect of communication. Are we speaking at the same level? Am I just wanting to give you my opinion or am I listening to yours?
If Teddy isn’t interested in what I’m saying, he looks away, yawns, starts to sniff or walks away. His body language is eloquent. We too use our body‘s to communicate. We can notice subtle movements. Is the other person leaning away from us, are they mirroring us?
Being aware of other’ responses helps us to see how well we are being understood. We do much of this automatically but being conscious in the moment helps us to improve our focus, improve our communication and crucially promotes greater harmony and peace in our dealings with others.
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