Communication works on a spectrum, like almost everything it’s not “being able to communicate” and “not being able to communicate”. There’s a spectrum of ways in which we communicate. The key criteria is that you can get your point across, that you can make yourself understood to the other person. Since communication exists on a spectrum, I think it’s really important to reflect on barriers to communication, whether that’s prejudice or stigma or a literal barrier that prevents somebody from understanding what somebody else is saying. And if you’re someone who struggles with communication, the best advice that I can offer is don’t blame yourself. Don’t feel inhibited. Stand up and do what you can to be understood. If you are inhibited by somebody else’s prejudice, then you’re holding back the value that you can contribute to the world. In that case, the prejudice is winning. Be okay, with the fact that your English isn’t perfect. And if you’re someone who experiences a barrier to communicating, take a stand. We need to have some foresight into these issues and make sure that we’re enabling everybody to communicate equally. So we’re not coming at communication from a point of judgment but a point of common understanding and mutual trust. Full transcript available at dranthony.design
