An American School Board in Florida is rewriting its communication policy and is coming unstuck on the phrase "best interests of the School District".
This caused me to question how much of our communication, especially in the area of difference and disability is made in what we perceive to be either our best interest or the best interest of the person we are communicating with. How often, if we don't like or are uncomfortable with the other person do we repel them with negative body language as well as negative, limiting or nonexistent conversation or worse still avoiding them all together. And even when we do communicate 'freely', do we withhold or control information on some arbitrary 'best interest' basis? We all face times when gender, ethnicity or disability make us uncomfortable with communication but we also have times when just plain having a different outlook, such as parents and children limit our ability if not our desire concerning communication.
If we don’t communicate effectively with each other then the relationship will fail or not even flourish in the first place. The obvious place to start seems to be to listen to the other, but is it? If we're not willing to respect the other's opinion even before we start then no amount of listening or posturing will develop the relationship. Only when we listen with respect can we begin to build the trust, based on honesty and openness, that is essential in relationships of any kind.
Anyone who's seen the move Despicable Me will know well how the persistence of the orphan girls in all forms of communication finally breaks through and overcomes the differences between them and Despicable Me becomes there adoptive dad. How much was communicated and in who's best interests?
And this leaves me with one last though on the matter at this point. How much more children are relaxed and forth coming in communicating with others than we adults and with less concern for 'best interests'? Hmmm... Isn't there somewhere else that children communicate and enter into relationship better than adults? Or is that just a child-like faith ?
Your thoughts?
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