The COMM:PAKT topic of the week: The impact of the little question ‘How are you?’
One of the ways we first connect with people is by asking “how are you?” Unfortunately, “how are you” can be a bit misleading, as a lot of this relates to the context. Here are some examples:
- In a shop to a shop assistant- hello
- At work to colleagues- good morning
- On the phone to family or friends- I really want to know how you are feeling
How are you, not only depends on who you are to me, more importantly, it is how I feel at the time: Do I have enough time & energy to actively listen?
In fact, anything you say has an impact on who you say it to. Words are feelings and feelings are contagious. Give thought to how you are feeling before you speak, so if you only have time to say good morning, then simply say good morning.
One of the many quotes from Maya Angelou:
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” (https://theconversation.com/how-maya-angelou-made-me-feel-27328)
Have a look at the author’s page: About Sonia Ceresani
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