Blogging About Communication

Remember playing jump rope growing up? It turns out you were doing a lot more than exercising. You were also learning timing, trust, teamwork, resilience, encouragement, and coordination, the same skills we rely on to help us navigate our friendships and professional relationships. Yup! Playing jump rope wasn’t just about timing your leap. It was also about paying attention, trusting others, adapting when things changed, and getting back up when you missed and got tangled up in the rope.

It’s a Matter of Timing

Think back to what it was like trying to jump into a turning rope? Jumping in at the wrong moment usually ended up badly. Success depended on observing and choosing the right moment to act. It’s the same thing with person-to-person relationships—in life and at work. Timing determines if others will respond to a message favorably or be resistant. The right message delivered at the wrong time can be just as ineffective as delivering the wrong message. Whether it’s pitching another an idea or offering feedback, timing affects the outcome. Sometimes the smart strategy is simply to wait a few more turns of the rope.

No one Spins the Rope Alone

It takes two people to turn both ends of the rope in a game of jump rope. Double Dutch champions make it look easy, but to do the job right, the rope turners have to maintain an even rhythm, the jumpers need to trust them, and everyone playing needs to adjust together when something changes. If one rope turner speeds up unexpectedly, or stops turning, the rhythm falls apart. Relationships and organizations work similarly. Everyone depends on everyone else. Communication is the rope connecting all the players.

Feel the Rhythm Before Jumping In

Don’t attempt to change things until you understand things. Just like watching a jump rope before stepping in, to be successful at interacting in personal and professional relationships, find out how people make decisions, gauge their willingness to collaborate, and understand the rhythm at which they move.

A Mistake Doesn’t End the Game

Missed your jump into the rope as a kid? You laughed, moved to the end of the line, and waited for another turn. Imagine if relationships worked the same way. Instead of assigning blame when someone errs, encourage learning, adjusting, and trying again. No one becomes a champion at jump rope before getting entangled in the rope a few times. Success isn’t a solo performance. It depends on everyone making an effort.

ACTION PLAN

Work with one or more friends or co-workers to answer these questions:

• When has poor timing made communication between you less effective?
• What can each of you do to help maintain a steady rhythm?
• How do you each respond should one of you “miss the rope” and make a mistake?
• What is one thing you could do, or one change you could make this week, to help the other person “jump in” more successfully?