I have been recently struck by the need for a common language and the power it gives a group of people. They have common tools to use. Similar to a staff team going through a personality profile, a group of friends going to a marriage seminar, or a group of soldiers in basic training leave basic training with a common language they speak built on their experiences and the leaders/teachers who gave them all the same definition of the same words.

These people now work together more efficiently and more effectively because they all say the same thing and mean the same thing. They have the same definition for a word, phrase, or acronym. Much like if I say 9/11, you have a definition and a picture in your mind, much like I do.

We as mature American adults can identify with a common imagery given to us by an outside source. You and I can identify with each other based on this common language.

Common language gives us reason to classify each other and create classification systems for people. Not tiered in order to qualify value, instead they are systems to understand qualities and characteristics.

When you give a group of people who respect each other and work well together a common language and common definitions to understand each other. They suddenly become more connected. They see value in one another and they have a common verbiage to use to attribute value to one another.

We as a team have been able to understand the value of one another because of the common language we have.

I can understand the people around me better because we have a common language given to us by the Pathfinder process we went through last December. Now we continue to grow together and understand each other because we have this common language.

How well do you understand the people around you? How can you spend some time developing a common language with your team?

Defined,

–JT