Sunday, May 31, 2015

Interpreters

This is a shout-out to all who translate or interpret. A few days ago I was part of a panel discussion on teaching strategies to a group of approximately 40 parents here in South Korea. Their sons and daughters are attending classes at George Mason University's global campus in Songdo. Two of the panelists spoke Korean. Another panelist and myself did not, thus we needed someone to translate our comments for the audience. Looking back on this experience, which proved to be a positive one, I walked away with a much higher regard for those who perform this important task. They are communication facilitators who serve, in essence, as the bridge between folks separated by a language barrier.    

The other panelist who needed the translator was much smarter about it than I. She prepared her remarks in advance so the interpreter would be able to translate her comments much more easily and with little chance of error or misinterpretation. I, on the other hand, only put together a rough outline of talking points. The bulk of my remarks were ad-libbed. Thus, when it came to translating my remarks, the interpreter had to work very hard to echo all that I said without benefit of notes or guidance on what I was going to be emphasizing. Since then, I have tried thinking about whether I could echo back one person's remarks to another without error. I think not. Shame on me for not being sensitive to this.

As best as any of us who find ourselves in front of an audience that does not speak our language can, it is important that we be a good partner to those with the charge of passing along what we said as accurately as possible. What they do is very much "of the moment." They have virtually no room to reflect or pause. Instead, they have to, in a sense, laser focus on what is being said in order to carry it forward with every pause, point of emphasis, and particular phrase in-tact. Any one who says that is easy simply does not appreciate the responsibility that interpreters carry on their shoulders. Whenever possible, the rest of us need doing all we can to make their jobs easier. After all, at those times they and we are partners.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Reinvention 2

Reinventing one's self - or even considering it - represents an interesting dilemma. "Why should I change," we may ask ourselves, "when I like me? I like who I am and the way I am?" Without doubt, these are valid questions. They remind me of the old adage, "If it ain't broke, then don't fix it." Indeed. Of course, given life's ever-changing circumstances, sometimes things need to change or be changed even if they are not broke. Particularly because of life's fluidity, for any one or thing to survive, then reinvention is a necessity - the constant order of the day.

No less of an authority on survival than Charles Darwin wrote about this over 150 years ago when he said for a species to survive, then it must be able to adapt to its ever-changing environment. For all of us here in the 21st century, this means "reinvention." While we may be happy with the person we are today, two years from, for instance, we may not be overly thrilled with ourselves if we have not kept pace with new technology, the fact our child is now a full-blown teenager, or that our parents are too frail to take care of themselves. These are just a few of the many real-life challenges that demand we adjust our own priorities, state-of-mind, etc. if we are going to have even a slight chance of dealing with them successfully.

The question then becomes: how best can we do it? How can we be nimble enough to stay ahead of or at least on top of the challenges before us? One strategy is to be totally honest with ourselves; treat ourselves as if we are our own client. This means continuing to assess that which is around us, including at home, at the work place, and our surrounding society itself, and identifying our strengths and weaknesses with a detached objectivity in the context of that which comprises our world. Then, if necessary, devise strategies to adapt to or content with our new challenges. Upon first blush, this may seem simple, but the fact is it is not. Being bluntly honest with ourselves never is. Communicating honestly and with respect, however, helps a great deal. Even if it is with ourselves. 

Monday, May 25, 2015

Reinvention

Do we like ourselves? Despite all the things about ourselves we may not like, including whatever limitations and imperfections we have, do we feel good about ourselves?  Are we someone we would not mind hanging out with and getting to know? In terms of myself, while I confess to having days when I definitely would run the other way if I saw me coming, overall, I see myself as being an ok person. Hopefully most everyone sees themselves in the same way. Self-loathing is a very unhealthy state-of -mind to have. Without question, the more we can avoid beating up ourselves the better we are for ourselves and those around us.

When it comes to feeling positive about ourselves, the reality is this state-of-mind is and forever will be under constant challenge. This is because of the many changes that swirl around us each and every day. Such motion forces us to adjust and change the way we happen to be at any given moment. In other words, how we are right now in all likelihood is not how we are going to be an hour into the future. This, then, raises the question: will we like the future-us as much as we do the current-us? Answering "yes" is not necessary a sure thing. This is because future circumstances are different, thus demanding us to not be exactly who and what we are in the present.

The reality of life's constant changings requires us to be vigilant about trying to adjust or, more to the point, reinvent ourselves. This is not an easy thing to do, particularly when we happen to like the present-us. To cite an example, this particular semester I am teaching freshmen students. For many, this is their first-time away from home and not being under the watchful of their parents. Of those, a few are struggling with classes as they are not spending nearly enough time on school work. Consequently, they are not all that pleased with themselves. Successful reinvention requires effective communicating - even if it involves communicating with ourselves.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Instant Everything

Bullet trains. Instant messaging. Microwave ovens. Moving walkways. The Internet. These are but a very few of the hundreds and probably thousands examples one can give to illustrate that we live in a fast-paced world. Our technological advances are such that so many things we want and need, including food, water, heat, light, television reception, connections with others, etc. can be gotten in the time it takes to press a button or flip a switch. Make no mistake, to live in a time and be surrounded by such convenience is wonderful. High-five to us for turning it all into a reality and for continuing to seek ways to make our current conveniences even more so.

One result of such advancement is that we are creating generations where "instant" is the norm. People want something and, presto, within relatively brief periods of time, in some cases seconds, they have it. Not only are more and more wanting what they want when they want it, but increasingly they area actually getting it. On the one hand, this is a positive part of reality as it helps ensure life styles that deemed fitting for the times in which we live. On the other, the expectation of "instant" that a growing number of folks have is making it harder for a number of communication efforts to be effective or successful.

One example revolves around teaching. Often for teachers to be effective at what they do requires them to have time to present concepts and facts to students in ways that are readily understood. Connecting with folks via public speeches is also more difficult because so many members of an audience are less patient than they used to be. They want their information now! They want the punch line now! Does this mean people today and more rude than they used to be? No. But it does suggest that due to our technological advances, people are becoming less inclined to hear and/or read lengthy communiques. Consequently, communicators need to adjust their strategies to address the evolving nature of people.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Preserving Openness

Small organizations are like families in many ways. The members, regardless of where they fit in the hierarchy of the entity, know each other. Also, they often know, at least to some level, about the others. For instance, if someone has been ill or if two members have had some type of verbal altercation, then thanks in large measure to the entity's grapevine, word travels quickly. As social creatures, people like to talk. The result is secrets, in essence, are hard to keep for any length of time. While such a reality is ok and, generally, harmless, there are times when it is not acceptable for members to chatter about certain matters.

If, to cite one example, a member behaves in a way that is morally inappropriate and potentially illegal, then the less said about such doings the better. Particularly if a member has carried out some type of illegal behavior, then with that comes the possibility of legal and/or civil action. If that occurs, then not only is idle chatter not a good idea, it should be actively discouraged by the entity's leaders. The accused's right to a fair hearing or trial needs to be protected by all means possible. At the same time, however, there is also the need of an organization's members, including leadership, to openly discuss all issues that might threaten their level of cohesion.       

Such a dilemma represents a tough communication challenge for any entity's leaders and its members. If one member misbehaves badly enough to where legal action is brought against them, how obligated is the organization itself to share what is going on and being done about that? Instead, should a leadership that may normally practice and encourage openness suddenly clamp down on all dialog about that which may be affecting the behavior of its entire membership or staff? It is times such as this when effective communication is vital. By being forthcoming about the circumstance, including any legal restrictions, leadership can preserve the integrity of members' ability to remain open with each other.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Letters of Accommodation

From time to time most everyone is asked to compose a letter of accommodation on behalf of another person. Such a communique can be to help someone get a job, gain acceptance into a university or congratulate one on an important milestone in their life. These letters are important as they represent a permanent testament of another's character, professional abilities and overall qualities as a person. It is one thing to provide a verbal view of another - "Yeah, Charlie is a good guy and deserves a promotion" but another to actually articulate those feelings in-writing where the expectation is for you to explain and actually defend your rationale.

A key difference between verbalizing and writing something is that the focus with verbalization is on what one says while for writing is it more on both what and how one expresses their view. Writing an opinion takes more time and, generally, requires more thought. Often the expectations a reader has when reviewing a written document are higher than what they have when listening to another share their views. We expect written documents to be grammatically correct, for instance. When it comes to speaking, generally, we tend to give each other latitude in how well we craft our thoughts and put forth our main points.

The best letters of accommodation tend to provide insight into a subject's personal and professional character. These communiques provide readers with greater understanding of what kind of worker a person is as well an in-depth appreciation of  their strengths and qualities are as a fellow person. Generally, of course, these letters focus only on what is positive about a person. (After all, this is why you were asked to write on in the first place.) But this does not necessarily mean one should compose something that is flowery and unrealistic. As an author of such communiques, one needs to be honest. This is the essence of any communication effort. Honesty translates into credibility. Credibility leads to effectiveness. Such effort will be of great service to the subject of these communiques.     

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Close Quarters

I am the first to admit that travel can be a giant hassle, particularly when you are part of a group and the actual traveling involves going to another country and having to contend with the various immigration hurdles set in-place by the nation you are leaving and one or ones you are visiting. Such logistics, for better or worse, find people being in very close quarters with others who may or may not always be in the most pleasant of moods. In such circumstances, one does not always see others in a setting or specific circumstance that is the most flattering to them. At the same time, others do not always see us at our best either. 

Trying to "get along" with folks you may not know or know well is rarely without some degree of stress. Someone may something with which you disagree. Another may find something you say to be offensive. When this happens the question immediately becomes what to do about it. Do you speak up? Let it pass? Pretend you understand or even agree with what they said just to avoid any possible conflict? These are among the everyday choices most of us make in the course of an average week. When they revolve around folks we do not know well, the communication challenge includes  determining how best to send and receive messages to and from others.

Teaching here in Songdo, South Korea, has put me in close quarters with a range of interesting people, including other instructors, students and area residents. At least at the beginning, none of us knew each well or, in a number of cases, at all. Now, nearly three months later, many of us have gained a better sense of each other to the point where we are feeling more free to communicate in ways that reflect how we normally behave and talk. This is not unusual, of course. With time comes familiarity. Still, it reflects to how important it is to communicate with a level of sensitivity that, when it comes to communicating, people tend to feel their way along.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Legal But Not Ethical

I continue to be fascinated and chagrined at the choices people make when it comes to deciding whether to do what is ethical versus what is profitable. More and more and with disturbing consistency, going for the additional bucks seems to win the day. The tobacco industry, of course, is a great example. Only by government decree did they begin coming clean with the public that their product was addictive and harmful to one's health. In keeping with this, as far back as 1994, in an article in the Journal of Consumer Affairs, advertising professionals were reported to be more influenced by legal considerations rather than what is ethically or morally correct.

Granted, what is ethical is more of a matter of subjectivity and interpretation than what is written in black-and-white in the law. This gives people greater latitude to decide what they can or cannot do or say. Beer companies, for instance, spend millions of dollars talking about how cool it is to enjoy their product. They claim their targeted audience are those folks who are of legal age to drink, yet ignore the reality that their outreach efforts also appeal heavily to underage kids. Manufacturers of food products purposefully create products designed to appeal to the taste rather than "health" buds of consumers. What they do is legal, but is it ethical?

Sadly, examples of these unfortunate choices go on and on. It is not a matter of can we as beneficiaries of free speech do this. Rather, the challenge rests in the choice of whether we should. In terms of communication ethics, what side of the fence do the professionals fall when their bosses pay them to put together messages that mislead. "Try our new triple creamy cookie. You'll love the taste and keep wanting more!" Never mind these goodies will also contribute to the nation's growing obesity problem and add cavities to one's mouth. Yes, it is all legal but is it ethical? I think not. Perhaps a better way to go would be to promote the taste as well as the consequences of enjoying it.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Communicating With Sugar

Inserting one's self into a new culture is always an adventure. Depending upon the specific circumstances, of course, it can one that is negative, positive or a bit of both. Without question, teaching in South Korea falls under the "positive" category. At the same time, this has not to say it has not been without its set of challenges. Specifically, I refer to the two-fold charge given each faculty member. One, not surprisingly, is to carry out their duties as instructors in terms of providing students with insight into their specific areas of study. The other revolves around preparing non-American students to succeed academically when they transfer to the United States. Taking classes in the US is a requirement of taking classes at George Mason University's campus in South Korea.

It is my observation that it is this second part that is proving to be the bigger challenge for a number of the instructors. Students have a culture when it comes to classroom behavior that is different from what exists in America. Students in South Korea are far less reluctant to speak out in class than they are in the US. A number of the teachers are having a difficult time when this reality, particularly since they recognize that for students to succeed in the US, they are going to have to be more extravert in their classroom behavior: ask questions, volunteer to answer questions, participate in classroom discussion, etc. It seems the harder teachers push the students to speak out in class, the more they shut-down.

For this logjam to be removed, a behavioral change is necessary. As the ones stepping into a new culture, the instructors are going to need to be the ones who, in a sense, make the first move. Right now, by pushing too hard, they are giving their Korean students greater reason to pull-back. Instead, the teachers need to do a more creative job of creating a safer environment within their classes. Doing so will help the students feel more empowered to speak out. The students are nervous and a bit intimidated about being in college already. Consequently, the teachers need to do a better job of offering the students sugar rather than a stick. Here, it is not just a matter of  communicating, but being sensitive enough to communicate in a particular way. Education, after all, is about the students.