The continuing challenge of communication

When we first moved to New Zealand, we needed support. There were lots of decisions to make, people to meet, jobs to find and items to buy. We did not realise how much we had taken for granted when we were at home.

The first challenge was buying food, in England ‘Woolworths’ was a name for a shop like ‘K Mart,’ the name ‘New World’ did not conjure up the image of a food store, and neither did ‘Countdown!’ Then again Tesco’s and Asda, both big food stores in England, probably don’t sound like food stores either.

Even after 16 years I continue to learn new things, new words, new ways of looking at something I have been quite happily viewing in my way for years.

The other day I was looking for some rawplugs. This met with looks of confusion from the poor youngster I had asked for assistance.

I explained that I wanted to make sure my screws were secure in the plaster board. I was still receiving a look of honest curiosity.

It was not until I explained a little more about how the items I were looking for worked, and where they were going, they brightened up, and told me I was actually looking for some anchors to secure my screws into the gib.

This post is really my way of apologising in advance for any mistakes I have made in my marketing.

I realise that some words or concepts may appear strange or confusing.

Like I learnt recently that a Mediator in NZ is a position only those formally trained can hold. The use of words such as Community, or Grassroots in front, do not demote the role to one which is less formal. I can only imagine to NZs it sounds as stupid as introducing yourself as a grassroots president.

So to be clear:

I am an impartial conflict resolution practitioner.

I help support constructive conversations, which clarify people’s needs, and clear the air, without the need for the complexities of a complaints procedure.

If you would like to learn how to be an impartial conflict resolution practitioner, from someone who helped bring peace to over 50 neighbours at war, trained over 70 educational professionals and set up successful peer led services in over 10 schools, then get in touch.