Switching off autopilot

I found myself hanging on every word of the presentation by Keith Woods, dean of faculty at The Poynter Institute. As journalists, our entire responsibility is to communicate well, but Keith allowed me to see how poorly I have been communicating, as a journalist and in my personal life. I communicate on autopilot most of the time, unaware of the subconscious factors affecting my perception and interpretation of what people say.

Keith Woods talks to the Summer Scholars. (Photo by Sam Kittner)

I mentioned the example of an acquaintance of mine, a white man, who repeatedly called me "articulate" one day. I took offense, but, as Keith pointed out, the better reaction would have been to have asked him what he meant by calling me articulate. It is these assumptions during communication that can really change a story and, as shown through the current situation with Reverend Wright, can make a serious impact on individuals' lives. I'm going to take what I've learned from this presentation to improve my reporting and my relationships with other people.