A blind old man was begging for money in a busy street corner. Next to him was an empty tin cup and a cardboard sign, 'Blind - Please help'. Very few took notice of him and fewer paid him some money. A young passerby saw the blind man and also saw that people passing by were completely unmoved, let alone stopping to give money. She took a thick marker-pen from her pocket, turned the cardboard sheet back-to-front, re-wrote the sign and then went on her way. After a while, when the cup was overflowing with coins, the blind man asked a stranger to tell him what the sign said. The stranger read, "It's a beautiful day. You can see it, but I cannot."
The story illustrates a timeless way how important choice of words and language is when we want to truly connect with and move other people.
Got reminded of this story from a recent mail from a recent AeSI graduate, who sent a angry, disorderly email to AeSIAA.
His concerns were genuine, but the email I received only conveyed his anger and nothing else. I couldn't find out what the issue was and what he was trying to communicate. I had to look beyond the assault of his email to ask the guy to send his number to talk to him.
The point is, communication either written or oral, is the biggest showcase of your professionalism. So when communicating, keep the above story in mind. The words you choose, how you say something matters. Be is soliciting help, telling your story or just sharing your opinion.
