Communication – one word but with lots of complexities. What is communication? Why do we communicate? When is communication good? Or bad?
Most often, we think we communicated but was that the message or information people wanted to hear? Often we think we heard, when we were actually not really listening, because we were too busy trying to think of arguments to persuade the other person to accept our point of view!
The whole concept of communication is perplexing, exciting and adventurous. People like to have their own voices heard! Others prefer to say nothing and in the process their insights are lost and never heard. Often good and productive communication is stifled by one of the parties being railroaded or bumping their heads against a brick wall – being ignored. Conversations are influenced by our personalities and our values as well as our different perspectives.
This is the reason why the Carisbrook Community Conversations are so important to me as elected councillor for Tullaroop Ward. It is important to connect with each other on a different, more informal level, get to know each other and finally develop rapport, credibility and trust.
I want to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone who made the effort to contact and connect with me in various ways these past 2 years. I believe it is important to keep this conversation going, developing our relationship.
The next Carisbrook Community Conversation will take place next week, Thursday 17 November 2022 at 7pm, at the Carisbrook Fire Station. Councillor Wayne Sproull will be there to talk about and answer questions about waste management and recycling. We will then share a snack and coffee or tea since it will be our last meeting for 2022.
