......"WATCH YOUR WORDS"......

.......WATCH YOUR WORDS.......


      NEVER ARGUE WITH LOVED ONES OVER SIMPLE MISUNDERSTANDING.  LITTLE WONDER.  WE ESTIMATED HOW WELL WE GET OUR POINT ACROSS.  IN RECENT STUDY, SPEAKER TRIED TO CONVEY MEANING USING AMBIGUOUS STATEMENTS.  SPEAKERS WHO THOUGHT LISTENERS UNDERSTAND WERE WRONG NEARLY HALF THE TIME.  HERE'S EXPERT ADVICE TO REDUCE CONFUSION.
     1.  DON'T RELY ON CUES. LISTENERS OFTEN NOD, MAKE EYE CONTACT OR SAY  "UH-HUH" TO BE POLITE OR MOVE CONVERSATION ALONG.  BUT IT'S EASY TO MISINTERPRET THESE AS SIGN OF UNDERSTANDING.
      2.  TRAIN THE EDITOR IN YOUR HEAD.  IF YOU SAY, "CORA DISCUSS HER PROBLEMS WITH HER HUSBAND", IT'S NOT CLEAR IF SHE'S TALKING TO HER HUSBAND OR ABOUT HIM, TRY INSTEAD, "CORA TALKS TO HER HUSBAND ABOUT HER PROBLEM".
      3.  ASK LISTENERS TO RESTATE YOUR MASSAGE PREFACE THE QUEST WITH ... I WANT TO BE SURE  I SAID THE RIGHT"QUESTIONS LIKE, "DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?  MAY BE ALSO WORK.
       4.  LISTEN WELL, WHEN ON THE RECEIVING END, ASK QUESTIONS TO BE SURE YOU'RE ON THE SAME PACE. AFTER ALL.... SPEAKERS AREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WHOLE EXCHANGE........