Wiggle Room

So, how much wiggle room is one allowed when it comes to communication? Can you be too loud or too soft in your speech? Can you be too blunt with your message or a bit vague? The answer to all these questions is "yes." That is the great thing about communication. It is also the most frustrating aspect of it. Communicating effectively is as precise as it is imprecise. This is because not every act of communicating works for everyone. To give one example: Sometimes while watching television I need to turn up the volume. And then there are times when I need to turn it down. And this could occur during the same program! And then there is the message itself. Depending upon the topic and what I am doing at that particular moment, at times I need things thoroughly explained to me. Directions, for example. Other times, just give me the name of the ultimate destination and I can take it from there. All this points to the same reality for all of us: we need to be as flexible and nimble as we possibly can when trying to enjoy a sustained connection with another. Here is another piece of reality: that is never going to change. There will never be a one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to communicating successfully with an audience. And if that is not enough, here is probably the biggest, most undeniable aspect of communication of them all: none of us can throw up our hands and walk away from it. None of us can say, "That's it. I'm outta here." If we are going to co-exist with others, then we have to contend with all the foibles and inconsistencies that define communication. Need I remind any one that being social creatures, we all need to co-exist. We all need to have that skill on some level. If not, then we cease to be. This means all of us need to embrace what I call the wiggleness of communication. Whether we like it or not, when it comes to communicating, wiggle room is part of the mix.