My Idea of a Great Communicator

                                                By Lisa Martin

I am taking a course in communication this semester and have been asked to blog about someone whose communication skills I admire. My first thought was to go with a historical figure like Gandhi or Mother Theresa or even President Obama, but I have never had a conversation with any of them and decided to look closer to home. I chose my Uncle Junior because he had a way of speaking that made the listener feel important and special, while coming across as both knowledgeable and compassionate. Whether he was lecturing his daughter’s date or explaining to me how to choose the right college he was authoritative, yet caring, with a sense of humor.

One minute he could be spouting technical terms and giving instructions to one of the IT guys, and the next he could be explaining to me what he had just told the person to do in language that I fully understood. He was also a great listener. People sometimes forget the importance of listening in communication.  Sometimes, he would let me go on and on about something or someone, and then tell me in such a nice and non-judgmental way that I was wrong or I had not handled the situation correctly. My uncle had to operate in many different realms of communication both professionally and personally, like many of us, and he transitioned from one to another without pause or incident. He went from managing dozens of highly skilled computer geeks, to counseling incarcerated young men, to escorting my cousin to her debutante ball, to drinking with the guys, and everyone understood him and he understood them.

You may not always agree with what he was saying, but you respected him. He did not always agree with you, but he respected your right to your opinion and always demonstrated the compassion or empathy the listener deserved.  He was quick to stop you midsentence if you were making inflammatory or derogatory comments about an individual or group not present to defend themselves. He had no tolerance for bigotry or the spreading of gossip. My uncle was an imposing figure of a man, a former Marine standing at about six feet four inches, but his words gave him all the power and strength he ever needed.