to communicate well
musings, examples, and insights on good communication
sari and
to communicate well
stumbled across in an Experimental History substack article
We often raise issues of justice and equity not to advance meaningful social causes but to generate positive attention for ourselves by denigrating others. Sometimes this involves piling on—joining a Greek chorus of reproachful replies without contributing anything new—or exaggerating one’s moral outrage for dramatic value. In doing so, we dilute the impact of critical ethical issues and foreclose the possibility of productive public discourse. The goal is not to understand but to win.
Closed questions are also bad questions. Instead of surrendering power, the questioner is imposing a limit on how the question can be answered.
David Brooks • How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
Many communicators try to make themselves look smart. Great listeners are more interested in making their audiences feel smart. They help people approach their own views with more humility, doubt, and curiosity. When people have a chance to express themselves out loud, they often discover new thoughts. As the writer E. M. Forster put it, “How can I
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