“Communication is a way of life. It is demanding. It is the condition of harmony between people.
–Marc Roussel
We currently live in a world of over-communication, where the image is master. Smartphones make the apology of communication, the advent of social networks, everyone can access everything in a few clicks. All companies work on their image (we notice this with the emergence of employer branding and attractiveness issues), some people even do what is called “personal branding”, self promotion, to make themselves attractive.
But are we making communication a good tool? Are we using these soft skills wisely? Let’s take inspiration from the parrot to perfect our communication. Because indeed, they have for them this way of communicating which could well help us to sharpen this soft, so appreciated nowadays.
Communication
feminine noun, action, fact of communicating, to transmit something
Oral, written, corporal, non-violent, non-verbal, etc… There are a lot of qualifiers for communication! What is certain is that Man and communication is a story that has been going on for centuries! Almost since Man has existed (well, I wasn’t there at the beginning but it seems that if we are here today it’s because our ancestors have communicated at some point, right? )
Communication, transmission, is the recipe for the evolution & adaptability of Man throughout the centuries. Through signs, writings, oral narratives, etc., all means are used to allow evolution and express feelings and emotions. We are not going to redo the history of linguistics (even if it is very interesting) but it is necessary to have in mind the base of all that.
Communication is the foundation of any organization, it allows the setting in relation, to convey a message by a channel (written, oral, digital etc) of a transmitter and a return of the receiver.No alternative text for this image
🦜 Communication & parrots:
In the wild, community living is essential in parrots. Communication is vital for them, it allows them to find a partner, exchange food sources and repel predators (diversions, mass effect…).
Parrots live in groups or colonies of several hundred individuals. Such a concentration of individuals requires a perfect communication between them in order to preserve the cohesion and the coordination of the group, knowing that they must travel several tens of kilometers per day to feed. They have developed particular abilities to communicate. The main means are vocalizations and body attitudes. Thus they express pleasure, fear, anger, hunger or fatigue, and demand attention.
In them, the need to communicate is innate so the blinking of the eyes associated with a dilation of the pupils, the ruffling of the feathers of the neck or the growling seem to be a sign of aggressiveness. They are able to scream and sing in general with a high volume and show a wide range of emotion. They should also be able to listen and memorize, comparing their output with what they hear.
Studies on parrot communication are still in their infancy, but their system may prove to be as complex as ours. Parrots are among the most brilliant animals, and it seems that this intelligence helps many of them adapt to the difficulties of modern life.
🦜 How to become parrots:
To become real parrots, let’s already start by adorning ourselves with the most beautiful colors. Indeed, parrots attract sympathy with their colors, which blend into the tropical landscape. To the cupboard the clothes with the dark colors, place with the color, the true one. (A small council, test the chromotherapy. It is a method that focuses on the healing properties of colors, their ability to treat different ailments. Our colored environment can itself influence our moods and ailments. Our tip deepens the virtues of each color. )
Then, communication comes naturally, it is vital for parrots as for us. Let us emphasize that Man has known how to adapt when a body communication tool is defective: sign language, morse code, braille etc… We live in society, we have been conditioned by the rules of decorum, our inner voice but today it is finished. Communicating is not simply saying what we have to say because we react on the spot, it is also understanding and putting it into a context. It means memorizing, timing, in short, it is a complex process that requires brain gymnastics but also common sense.
To become true parrots, it also seems fundamental to find the sense of the collective. With the current situation & the rise of individualism (since the 50’s), it is necessary to know how to find a group vision, beyond one’s simple circle. Because if parrots communicate and develop communication skills, it is for one good reason: to allow the species to survive as a collective. Let’s learn from them for our own actions? 😊
🦜 Parrots in business:
To reiterate, good communication is the art of understanding each other, exchanging information without muddying the message, and ensuring good management of communication flows.
Company managers must do everything they can to improve communication. This starts with creating a good atmosphere, a space of trust in order to be able to solicit a better performance. Effective communication allows you to get what you want from each member of the company more quickly and efficiently. It is necessary to establish a corporate culture based on mutual respect and esteem (these are essential criteria for communication). Whatever the hierarchical link, each person must respect the other even if the communication is downward.
The question of communication within the company is nowadays at the heart of the concerns. Jobs dedicated to the brand image, to the well-being of the employees and so on are emerging. Indeed, conflict, lack of dialogue… are all problems that can lead the company to difficulties or even to a crisis if they are not managed.
Communication is therefore essential within the company and it allows to work in transparency while avoiding conflicts and sometimes crisis situations. It often happens that communication is not well established and that the company encounters difficulties in transmitting a clear and understandable message. These are called communication barriers. Being aware of these obstacles allows you to bypass them and improve them. Among the elements that can block or interfere with communication are
The judgment of each person: it is difficult for humans to be objective and we end up judging most often without taking the time to have a certain height.
The filtering of information: the person has this capacity to perceive only the information that he/she wants to hear and therefore to filter a message. This is also called selective listening, the tendency to sort out the information one hears.
The difference in hierarchy: it is clear that the higher the message comes from the hierarchy, the more credible it is.
Semantic and comprehension problems: sometimes the blockage occurs when we do not have the same definition of words.
“The best way to ensure good communication is to listen, understand and act together.”
-Didier Court
🦜 The parrot’s checklist:
✅ Priming yourself with colors
✅ Recover a sense of the collective
✅ Take a step back
✅ Understand the communication framework & adapt your speech
✅ Taking the time to listen to your interlocutors
To finish this series of articles, let’s remember that nature is the first source of inspiration and has always been. Indeed in science, in linguistics, in organization, there is no lack of examples of nature inspiring us! Animals that some people consider as ‘primitive’ because they are different from us (big up to Pocahontas), have a lot to teach us. These instincts that we repress can simply remind us that we have a part to play in this balance. So let us be inspired by these little (or big) beasts, because we have a lot to gain. Let us be empathetic, persevering, curious, let us communicate, let us live fully!
“Every human group takes its richness from communication, mutual aid and solidarity aiming at a common goal: the blossoming of each person while respecting their differences.”
-Françoise Dolto
🦜 Sources🦜
- Parakeets and parrots (jimdo.com)
- epanews (epanews.fr)
- Bird and You (birdandyou.com)
- Small Business (petite-entreprise.net)
