| Last weekend, I went with four of my friends to | | | | Doug and Don. While Doug comes from the traditional |
| Hooter's Restaurant to drink beer, eat chicken wings, | | | | corporate environment, Don has more recently been |
| and, of course, look at the hot young women who | | | | introduced to so-called "New Age Thinking" through |
| work there. A lot of us hadn't seen each other in a | | | | spiritual workshops and intuitive trainings. |
| few years so this sounded like a fun way to catch up | | | | In Don's "New Age" world, it's common to use words |
| with each other. | | | | and phrases such as: the Universe, Spirit, inner |
| It had been awhile since I'd visited a Hooter's location | | | | guidance, enlightenment, higher purpose, manifesting |
| so I forgot how noisy it gets in there. It seems like the | | | | abundance, and attracting opportunity, to name a few. |
| objective at that restaurant chain is to entertain the | | | | However, these terms sound almost like a foreign |
| male guests as much as it is to feed them. As a result, | | | | language to a corporate guy like Doug. |
| it was a little bit challenging to conduct an intelligent | | | | The first thing to do when you're engaging in |
| 5-way conversation. | | | | conversation with other people is to access the |
| During one break in the restaurant noise level, my | | | | situation and determine who you're going to be dealing |
| friend Doug, a high-level executive in the luggage | | | | with. Then choose common words and phrases that |
| business, blurted out, "The luggage industry is going to | | | | create connection rather than separation. Your |
| pot. I'm seeing all of the luggage-only high-end retail | | | | objective as a master communicator is to build bridges |
| stores folding up their tents for good. It's never going to | | | | for better interactions rather than talk in ways that |
| be the same in the luggage business and I frankly don't | | | | other people don't really understand, appreciate, or find |
| know what I'm going to do. At rate things are going, I | | | | appropriate. |
| may be out of a job and career in another year." | | | | The Bottom Line |
| My other friend, Don, responded to Doug's comment | | | | Don't use inside jargon on the outside world. Save this |
| by saying, "Let the Universe guide you and follow your | | | | kind of language for people who have attended these |
| heart." | | | | kinds of events and who are comfortable using these |
| Doug gave Don a puzzled look and brushed off the | | | | words as part of their communication with you. |
| comments by mockingly replying, "Yeah, right." | | | | Otherwise, you're likely to come across as being a little |
| I must admit that Don's comments did seem a bit odd | | | | strange in the outside world. And it's wise to |
| to hear in the middle of beers with the guys at | | | | remember that "strange" usually isn't "good" when it |
| Hooter's on a Friday night. | | | | comes to making a favorable impression in the |
| But aside from those circumstances, I could also see | | | | traditional business environment. |
| the dynamics of miscommunication at work between | | | | |