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Written by Joan Eison
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A boomerang is shaped a little like a banana, curved at the ends, not
quite U-shaped, and rather flat. There are returning and
non-returning types; and, although no one can truthfully answer where
boomerangs came from, it is likely that they were invented
accidentally.
Picture a sunny afternoon in the Outback, an Aboriginal woman pitching
her boomerang expecting to see a straight flight pattern. Klunk,
bonk! The curved stick sails out of her hand, but comes flying
right back. After she checked her wrist action and flew it a few
more times convinced that it was no accident, she probably happily
enjoyed its uniqueness. The invention of the returning boomerang
may have been completely unexpected, but it’s continuing use and
success was intentional. International events and even canine
competitions have evolved as a result of it.
Our words and actions can boomerang with the same unanticipated results
as these spinning, banana-shaped sticks. So, the question is,
"Have you been flying happy bananas or sour grapes? If the
communications you have been sending have not been netting positive
results, you may have been following the secondary meaning of
boomerang: miscalculation, recoils on its maker. To prevent
"recoils," it is very important to treat communication like a
purposeful boomerang and plan for good vibes to come back to you.
Here’s a boomerang example. You received an invitation to attend
a reception likely to be resplendent with tempting food. Standing
beside your desk, hands on your hips, lip poked out and with agitation
in your voice you spin these sharp-edged words out into the air hitting
your nearby co-worker, "Oh, crud! I hate these things. They’re so
over-rated. How is anyone supposed to stay on a low carb diet in
front of an amaretto cheese cake?"
Will your boomerang come back, or will it hit a tree? Will your
co-worker be positive and accepting, or bewildered and
flabbergasted? What will your friend make of what you said? Will
she think that you meant, "I don’t like being invited to things?"
Or, will she just think that you got up on the wrong side of the bed?
What is even more important is how you feel inside. Could you
have meant, "I’m self-conscious in these situations?"
The way we walk, talk, gesture and choose words combine to become our
personal communication style. And, positive our out-going
messages increase the likelihood of positive returns. Boomerangs
can be "tuned" and so can your communication delivery. Tuning a
boomerang changes the flight, distance and direction. You can
even pop a plywood "rang" into your microwave for a few seconds to
soften the glue and make bending easier. Recalculating your
communication delivery is as quick as microwaving a Lean Cuisine.
So, why not try "tuning" the first message to improve the flight
pattern? Picture yourself, invitation in hand, seconds before you
say, "Oh, crud!" Spin your thoughts in the warm microwave
first, and feel the difference,
"Hmmm," you say. "I wonder what this is?" With an easy glide the
letter opener slits through the pretty, linen envelope. Pulling
the card out you recognize the sponsor, time, date and location.
"Wonderful," you say out loud. An hour later with a smile on your
face, meet your friend at the office coffee maker, "Oh, I hope you’re
going to the reception next month. The networking should be
great! I want them to serve fresh shrimp so I can stay away
from the dessert tables." What a different feel this one has from
the first, tense message. It’s full of anticipation and
confidence. Your friend won’t have any questions about the
positive the meaning of these words and gestures.
Needless to say, this boomerang will come back on a soft breeze rather
than a hard thump. The message that your friend received was, "She’s
really nice to be around and in such a good mood." And, you have
also given a big boost to your self-confidence. "I can handle
this. No dessert table is going to get in my way!"
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