The Absence of Communication
October 27, 2020  |  David R. Novak

[( )] : The Absence of Communication

Communication | Weirdness
The Absence of Communication
“I wish that we could talk about it… …but there, that’s the problem.” ~James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem Communication is everywhere. We’re not away from it much, if ever. It’s what makes us human. But for as ubiquitous and pervasive communication is, the absence…
CONTINUE READING
Communicating Emotions
October 20, 2020  |  David R. Novak

Communicating Emotions

Communication | Good Communication | Emotions
Communicating Emotions
Artwork: Hope II by Heather C. Sweeney. Emotions are important to communication. But where to start? There’s about a million possible directions, mountains of research from many fields, hundreds of books (some of them even good!), and tons of advice out there about communication and emotion…
CONTINUE READING
Hiding In Plain Sight
August 18, 2020  |  David R. Novak

Hiding In Plain Sight

Communication | Big Picture |
Hiding In Plain Sight
Communication hides in plain sight. Right there in front of you. Many behaviors we perform throughout our day can be thought of as communication. Talk to a store clerk? That’s communication. Exchange some texts with a friend or sibling? You’re communicating. A work meeting to talk about…
CONTINUE READING
Knowing Your Audience
July 21, 2020  |  David R. Novak

Knowing Your Audience

Communication | Good Communication | Relationships
Knowing Your Audience
One of things that many people fail to realize about communication is that it’s not just about you. It’s not just about you getting your message across. It’s about the other person too. They get a say. They are part of the process. If you want to communicate well, you have…
CONTINUE READING
There Is No S In Communication
February 25, 2020  |  David R. Novak

There Is No S In Communication

Communication | Concept of Com
There Is No S In Communication
It used to bother me when students of mine would say they studied “communications” when they were actually studying communication. That term — “communications” — invoked feelings similar that of nails scratching on the chalkboard. After escaping academia, I still…
CONTINUE READING
Searching For
January 21, 2020  |  David R. Novak

Searching For "Good" Communication

Big Picture | Communication | Good Communication | Relationships
Searching For
People want good communication. Things are better when communication is good. There are lots of ways to improve communication. But first, we have to consider what “good communication” is: “How do we get to good communication?” is one question. “What is good communication?”…
CONTINUE READING
So, What is Communication?
January 14, 2020  |  David R. Novak

So, What Is Communication?

Big Picture | Communication | Ontology
So, What is Communication?
Before I can go any further, we have to talk about what communication is. Let’s start with a definition. I know, BO-RING. But definitions matter.  Definitions shape how we see things. They orient us, point us in directions, and help us ask the right questions. For example, how a company defines…
CONTINUE READING
Why Communication Matters
January 7, 2020  |  David R. Novak

Why Communication Matters

Big Picture | Communication | Relationships
Why Communication Matters
When it comes to communication, it is hard to know where to start. There are lots of reasons why communication does or doesn’t work. Everyone communicates differently. For this reason, we all experience communication uniquely.  You might be thinking: Communication is easy. Everyone does…
CONTINUE READING