A Case of Confused ContextBy: Robert F. Abbott Article Summary:Understanding the role of context helps us communicate effectively. There was a time in my life when I drove a taxi, which I did after working in radio stations for several years. One morning I was flagged down near the courthouse by a man standing with three women. The weather was warm and the windows were down as I waited for someone to get into the cab. So I couldn't help but overhear their conversation, a heated exchange over a record. I didn't pay very close attention. After all, during my years in radio stations I heard many heated discussions about records: was this Beatles' album as good as the one before; should this Rolling Stones record get airplay or not? Only slowly did I realize these four weren't talking about phonograph records, or music, except in the sense of facing the music. They were talking about criminal records for prostitution, and the man certainly wasn't a record producer, although he may have had a record (of the criminal kind). It was a case of confused context. My Webster's dictionary defines context as, "the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc." In other words, a framework used to orient events and words. In this case, my previous experience in radio stations provided one context for 'record' while the courthouse should have provided another. Have you had experiences where communication failed because of context? Because you brought one framework to a conversation and someone else brought another? Let me give you another work-related context story, one with more relevance (I hope) for most of us. When I became news director at a radio station I was surprised by the new priorities I had to consider. As a journalist, my framework or context had been editorial: which subjects to cover, how I covered them, and so on. But, as a manager that changed dramatically, even though as news director I still dealt directly with editorial issues, but my context became corporate: But, as a manager, my context became corporate: Managing costs; working with the other departments; and so on. Context, helps us communicate effectively because it often gives us the 'why.' It helps others understand 'why' we need do the task this way, why the instructions couldn't be followed, why it's important to do one thing and not another. It offers a layer of information that allows us to understand, as well as act. For example, surveys indicate that employees want to know about their company's strategy. Do they need to know, to be able to do their jobs? No. But, are their jobs more satisfying? Are they more likely be loyal, to stay longer if they know the strategy? Yes. Context often provides a rationale for the work we do, or for the extra effort or time we take to do a job well. In summary, context provides a framework for understanding, and as a result, helps us communicate effectively. Next, go to the general business communication page, or visit our home page Communication Skills . Contact information
Robert F. Abbott A Case of Confused Context, Copyright Robert F. Abbott 2009 |