Facts and More Facts

There's a character in Charles Dickens' "Bleak House" who loves facts. He is a school master who demands that his students provide him with facts when called upon with a question. His challenges one new student to provide him with a definition of a horse. When she is unable to properly articulate a response, he scolds her and calls upon another, more experienced student who immediately erupts with details on these four-legged creatures. The teacher is pleased, the experienced student is praised, and the new student has been given better insight into how her teacher views the world and what he requires of his pupils. I like facts, too. They are extremely useful, of course, and provide the foundation of knowledge that exists in everyone's head. Granted, some people have a bigger, more sturdy storehouse than others, but nevertheless it is something we all share. In fact (no pun intended), if facts were a house, then it would be the floors, walls and roof - the interior and exterior structure.

Of course, no one wants to live in a bare structure though everyone does one want it to be strong and lasting and to be able to upgrade it on a regular basis. I know I do. But I also want a house with paintings on the walls., flooring with durable yet attractive rugs, stylish furniture, and an overall environment in which I can find comfort and security. That's where color and nuance come in. Coupled with facts, they can make for potentially an awesome combination. Drawing from facts one needs for a given situation and then mixing it with description is what makes for the best kind of communication under most any circumstances.

In earlier postings I have mentioned that I am currently pursuing a doctorate in communication. Though I have a few more hurdles to jump, I am almost at the point where I can formally begin my dissertation. It will revolve around organizational communication and the impact the communication style of leaders has on its members. In my preliminary investigation, I have found that very little research on this topic has been conducted in a way that includes color and nuance. My hope is to change that even if it is in a small way with my one study. What we communicate and how well we communicate impacts others in a very humanistic way. I want to take that "dance," as one scholar once called it, and go beyond just giving a statistical breakdown of this issue. With luck, I will build a house that is a real showcase.