What are you not saying?

 

A wink is a type of gesture. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

We spend a lot of time not saying what we are thinking or feeling.  We exert energy in the repeated eye-rolls.  We tap our foot in restlessness.  We smirk.  We twirl our hair.  We bite our finger nails.  We cross our arms and tense our shoulders.  We also spend a lot of time not saying what we are thinking or feeling in other ways.  We smile.  We look directly into another person’s eyes.  We lean forward when someone is speaking.  We touch an arm or shoulder.  We allow the unshed tears to be visible in our eyes.  We cry.  We hug.  We wave.

 

 

 

While we may not be saying any words, we are definitely communicating.  Peter Drucker says, “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.”  What are you communicating as you go through your daily life?  Are you communicating your aggravation with your current situation, your desire to be anywhere else?  Are you showing up mentally as well as physically?  Do you ignore the other customers as you shop, or do you acknowledge their existence and value?

 

 

 

As disciples of Christ, what message are we sending?  Are we sending a message that we love other people?  Are we sending a message that we value other people?  Take the time to consider  your non-verbal communication this week because other people are listening to what you aren’t saying.

 

Related articles

• The Late Great Peter Drucker on Marketing (fearlesscompetitor.com)
• I S.E.e What You Are Thinking (socialengineer.podbean.com)

 

Getting Noticed

Business card origami (and kirigami) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We all want to be noticed, some of us more than others.  We want to know that there is someone who sees us, knows us, and acknowledges our existence.  This past week I was at a bull riding event.  Prior to the bull riding, a local band played.  They wanted folks to not only enjoy the music that night, but they wanted the 2,000 people in  attendance to remember them.  They handed out free CDs so that we all could take them home with us.  They wanted our attention for more than a brief interlude.  They wanted to be remembered.

 

Most people are not in a band, but we want to be remembered.  We want to know that people think about us.  We want affirmation of our worth.  Yet, we do not have a CD to hand out.  How are we going to create an impression?  Are we going to hand out our business card?  Do we really think that anyone will keep those business cards?  The way we make an impression is to share ourselves.  We are created in the image of God.  We are worth remembering.  As we share ourselves and allow others to share their selves, then we are creating connections.  We are creating impressions.  We are making ourselves memorable.

 

Yet, unlike the band, we often try to hide our light under a bushel rather than singing out.  We don’t offer ourselves.  We hide.  This band, Hangin with Stogie, was offering their talent as well as their CDs.  What are you offering to the world?  You have something to offer.