Communication as a Craft

I saw Julie and Julia over the weekend--you know the movie with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Amy Adams plays Julie Powell and author of both the book Julie and Julia and the blog The Julie/Julia Project. Julie Powell takes to Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking one day at a time for 354 days, 524 recipes and a sense of purpose. It got me thinking about how, in a movie, blogging seems so simple. The reality is that it is a commitment. But both commitment and purpose are two very important aspects of the work we set out to do in our lives. My work, being a communication skills coach, seems so precarious at times--at the will of those who may or may not fancy training and development, but also something that can be put off as long as possible because other, more important, projects arise. I've always put communication first. Certainly there are times that I may not say precisely what I want or I may speak in a tone that I later wish I hadn't used. But, I do believe that understanding the importance of articulating what we want, need and feel is at the heart of all good communication coaching. I've been thinking lately about communication as an art. As I was pursuing acting and singing growing up, there was some skepticism at times from my family about when I would take my life more seriously. It's funny, but I could not have been any more earnest than the years I was living in Los Angeles pursuing my acting. I was always attracted to the arts because they gave me an outlet to express myself. So, when I finally got more serious about my life, and started to pursue a career as a trainer, I realized that it is the communication aspect of the arts that I was always drawn to. As I move forward in my career, I'd like to continue to deepen my understanding of communication as a craft. By inspecting our failed communications, we can learn how we can better formulate our opinions, suggestions and ideas. I know that this takes commitment and a sense of purpose. I hope to hear your input on the subject. To be added to Lanartco's Communication Performance Tip of the Week, please connect to this link or send your email address to info@lanartco.com.