The rules of any game of ball are reflective of rules of communications. The ball is synonymous to the conversation taking place. The players are synonymous to the people involved in the conversation.
During a group chat it is essential to know how to chip in and make a significant contribution to the discussion. A question which is frequently asked is how and when to chip in? The answer is observe a game of football. In football all the players have their eyes fixed on the ball, once they get control on it, they try to manoeuvre it as long as feasible and pass it on to a player who benefits his side.
Here the ball which is synonymous to the discussion, concentrate on it. Wait to get a chance to get hold of a string. Keep talking till your contribution holds significance. Once your contribution is over direct it to a person who, will when the time comes can redirect it towards you.
What do you achieve by doing this? First words are golden, don’t spend it mindlessly, wait for the correct point and time to make the desired impact. Inclusivity, a beautiful trait of communication skills. When you pass the ball to another player you give importance to another player, the same is in a group discussion, include as many speakers in your discussion. This is called looping in, this makes the discussion interactive and fruitful to all the speakers involved.
In cricket if you hit a ball hard you can get a six or you can be caught out. In both the places the intent of the cricketer was to create an impact. The timing of the shot makes it a six or catch out. The same rule applies in conversational skills your timing is crucial. Remember when to say and how to say. Your point may be valid, but if the timing has not been thought on it can be a dismal catch out.
The interconnecting question which is bowled to me is how to gauge your timing. A cricketer follows his instincts and experience on deciding on the shot. As a conversationalist you need to gauge the mindset of the other contributors in the conversation. Understand the string, the intent and the inclination of the conversation, time yourself and give your best shot.
We have all played with the ball at some time in our lives. Next time you have questions on conversational skills, try to interconnect it with a ball of game and find the answers to your questions.
