Word Games
The North American Bison is often improperly referred to as a “buffalo.” History records that the word buffalo is derived from the French “bœuf,” a name given to bison when French fur trappers working in the US in the early 1600s saw the animals. The word bœuf came from what the French knew as true buffalo, animals living in Africa and Asia.
Bison being misnamed is an example of semantic change. Throughout history, the specific meaning of words and phrases have shifted over time. Here is an example: Egregious originally described something that was remarkably good. The word is from the Latin egregius “illustrious, select”, literally, “standing out from the flock”. Now, it means something that is remarkably bad or flagrant.
Many times, these semantic evolutions are generational and/or cultural. This becomes important in communities that have generational and cultural diversity (which should be true about every healthy community). I often find myself misunderstanding my own children when they say “a minute,” and they mean a much longer period of time.
One of the most significant roles of a leader is to communicate. Communication is inherently difficult. If the words and phrases we use mean different things to different people, it becomes almost impossible. For a leader to communicate their intent, i.e., what the community should be aiming for, the message must be clear and understood by everyone.
My senior English teacher always said, “Good English is clear English.” That’s good advice for leaders, but I would add that clear communication is also concise. The more words we add into our message, the more likely there will be confusion and misunderstanding. Most of the time, the most direct and simple explanation is the best. I like to use analogies to explain things, but I have to remember that if the analogy gets too complex or involved, it might actually detract from my message.
When I was running marathons, we talked a lot about pace. Pace could make or break your race. Pace is also critical in communication—both the rate at which you speak and the time frame over which you communicate an idea. If you are introducing something completely new, you may have to repeat the communication several times at increasingly greater levels of detail as people catch up to where you are.
When asked how to live life well, a sage said to repent exactly one day before you die. “But how do you know it’s the day before you die?” he was asked. He raised his eyebrows and said, “Exactly.” Timing is everything. Make sure the situation is right for your message to be received. You must be able to estimate and understand the mindset of others.
You must also remember that your body language and tone can communicate as much as your words. If we approach people with a stern or even scolding tone, they will instinctively move into defensive mode and stop hearing what we are saying as they plan for their defense. Conversely, if you are passionate and excited about what you are communicating, make sure that your face and body know it.
Finally, asking people for feedback is an excellent way to determine if your message is getting through and to discover ways both your ideas and your delivery could improve. Asking people questions about what they have heard and what they think it means will help you become a better communicator and help them fully understand your intent.
Communication should not be a word game. Great leaders make the effort to transmit their intent in ways that are concise, paced well, timed correctly, and accompanied by appropriate, non-verbal clues. It is hard work to understand each other, but the payoff is a community that thrives and is healthy the Bison Way.