it’s not soft
A quote by George Bernard Shaw reads, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
How do you identify? Are you more reasonable, or unreasonable? In a shocking twist, sound the alarms and fetch the hounds because you’re reading the words of a seriously unreasonable woman. *Hiss.
At Anna Michele Communications, that quote is our credo. In fact, my life’s work is to change the narrative about communication as a “soft skill.” Who the hell came up with that? It is no longer “reasonable,” or appropriate to call communication skills “soft,” in 2024. I’ll die on this hill.
When we interview the professionals we work with, one clear complaint comes through, “People don’t know how to talk anymore.” That complaint is vague, right? Vague, but in many ways, true. What does it mean? It means something the world deems “soft” has become “hard” for everyday people. I firmly know communication has always been wrongly labeled as a “soft skill,” but now we finally have data to validate the argument.
Core problems- Empathy fatigue, attention-span depletions, political divides, post-pandemic anxiety, technological addictions, shall I keep going? These are just some of the nasty culprits, deemed problematic by researchers. These things are preventing human beings from effectively communicating, and they’re absolutely preventing us from communicating with good emotional intelligence.
Why business professionals need to care- When leaders and their teams lack profound emotional quotient, which leads to strong communicative abilities, negativity settles in. The University of Southern California states that workplace negativity costs companies around $3 billion per year (ouch)! Negativity is not only expensive, but it is “communicated” in countless instances and behaviors.
Did you know that 50% of how we communicate is through body language? Our tone makes up 30% and only 20% accounts for verbal communication abilities, according to The Definitive Book on Body Language.
All successful business missions should want their teams to operate from a profoundly unified space. This starts with mindful communication, which isn’t so “soft.” AMC is proving that mindful communication is the standard for success in industry and it’s time to make it a priority.
Here are some simple AMC takeaways to activate this week-
AMC Mindful Practice I- Commit. Commit to better communication, like you do your Peloton, or Sunday night Football (Go Lions). Believe in the power of strong, trusting communication and choose to work at it.
AMC Mindful Practice II- Awareness. Mindfully analyze communication pain points. Analyze yourself first, then those around you. Write down your annoyances. Talk to yourself (Yes. That’s what I typed). Articulate what is bothering you and what is working for you.
AMC Mindful Practice III- Say it. Have a “difficult” or proactive conversation now to avoid resentment or major problems later. Express your communication needs and do so in-person, as often as possible. The more you leave people guessing, the more frustrated you and they become. *Also, be willing. Be willing to meet your colleagues in the middle with their communication needs. Hear them.
New year, new us! Let’s embody the communicative changes we want to see, and watch our workflows and social exchanges transform into smooth success and joy. Good luck!
Learn more about our AMC research and customized masterclass programming. Anna Michele Communications wants to transform you, your colleagues and your business. Schedule your complimentary consultation today and let’s begin, Mindfully Speaking.
I look forward to our good work together. Sending gratitude to you and your colleagues.
Mindfully Speaking,
-Anna Michele Bulszewicz
Founder, Anna Michele Communications