FIT Learning Communication through Taboo

In Meeting #3 of FIT, we touched on
a) Learning Communication through Taboo
b) Setting the Environment (Purple for Lent / Re-decorating the Altar)
c) What Does Prayer mean to Me

I love the game Taboo. Never fail to crack up a good hearty laugh out loud moment. Reflecting on the learning points of improving communication through Taboo, it's pretty amazing how much we can derive from the short game play.



1) Speech
Be clear and concise in how you are delivering your message. Taboo is a fast paced game with a sandy hourglass to beat, and much like real life we don't always have the luxury to ponder through our thoughts and form the perfect sentence or speech.
To combat this,
a) Speak slowly to buy yourself time to crunch in your mind what you may want to say before actually speaking.
b) Breathe. Sometimes we forget to. Breathing in a regular rhythmic pace calm the nerves and keep the mind focused.
c) Emphasize on keywords rather than lengthy sentences to drive home the message and key-points.

2) Listening
Listening requires patience and too often in Taboo you'll find the person guessing cutting in hoping to get the right answers. And while it is important to provide leads to how well you understand the other party. It is also vital that you give time for sincere listening.

3) Confidence
It's natural for one to be able to provide meaningful examples and speak clearly in a familiar subject matter. 'Practice makes perfect' is an used and abused saying but preparing oneself in advance is just like preparing a soldier for the battle. In order to be an effective facilitator, be prepared in advance on the topic of the session.

4) Familiarity Aid Teamwork
You almost always learn something new about your friend in Taboo. Be it their way of expressing something or an answer that gives a little of their character or preference away. At the same time, you'd also discover that the closer we are to understanding each other's lingo and thoughts, the easier it is to second guess the answers. Being able to read each others' cues, mood patterns and mind frequencies go a long way when facilitating as a team. More often then not, we rub off each other's positive or negative vibes and being able to read the signs to support one another will be important.

5) Open and Honest Communication
Starting a conversation is one thing, keeping a communication going is another. Being truthful, open and honest in ones' communication is yet another. Effective communication during facilitation requires an open heart, follow-up skills and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

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Category: Faith
Category: Wisdom