Over the past few months, we’ve been exploring some pretty big topics— love, life, and purpose. And how these all come together. If you missed any of those posts, please catch up using the links above.
In The Loop
I was waiting for my wife to finish her Friday shopping and sitting at Costas Café enjoying my latté. My almost religious drill is to finish my coffee first before reading or writing. I savour every mouthful and don’t want anything to disturb my coffee musing.
This day, after my coffee, of course, I opted to free write. I love freewriting. I don’t use prompts, I don’t think about what I’m going to write, I put a pencil to my notebook and see what arises. I am rarely disappointed at the results.
So, I thought I would share the fruit of my experience with you.
After writing a few words, the phrase ‘In the loop’ appeared. Among the lines was this sentence: ‘I think we are all in a loop – more thought tells me that the entire universe and all animate and inanimate alike are in this loop.’
As I wrote these words this morning, I decided to look into the meaning and origins of the expression, and this is what came up:
- The phrase “in the loop” refers to the act of being kept informed and up-to-date on particular matters, discussions, or decisions.[1]
Working along the lines of your love, your life, and your purpose, it’s not difficult to see that each of these is not only dependent on being informed but, in most cases, sharing that information with others who are part of our lives.
Sharing with others typically involves some form of communication to keep them informed. I wonder how many humans have caused problems, embarrassment, or even tragedy for others due to a lack of effective communication, whether this be intentional or unintentional.
Communication is a learned discipline. Can a person learn this discipline? Of course, yes. Is studying communication alone compelling enough? No, application is the only way that will produce results. The study will provide a map for us to follow, but it is focused practice that equips us to implement a subconscious habit of effective communication.
How long does it take to become an effective communicator? I don’t know – surely that would depend on the person involved in practising their communicative skills?
How often has someone said to you, ‘Did you get my email?’ and you reply, ‘I did, thank you, sorry I haven’t responded to you but…’ When a short, ‘Got it, thanks, will come back to you tomorrow.’ Would have done the trick. Do you agree? Here’s a short story that illustrates the message in this article:
Neelie’s Team
In a cozy little nursery and craft center where many businesses thrived, Neelie and her four assistants were busy designing, sewing, and altering clothes. The ladies had been with Neelie for years and were pretty dedicated and efficient.
Lately, though, Neelie noticed more mistakes than usual. Since three of them worked on each garment at different stages, they relied on the fourth member, a designer, to check and pass on information. Neelie oversaw the whole production process.
Neelie’s best friend, Maria, worked in a large factory. When Neelie mentioned her team’s issues, Maria had a suggestion. “Your problem is communication, Neelie,” she said. “Close your shop twenty minutes early each evening and have a team meeting. Ask everyone to share what they did, any issues they faced, and any suggestions for improvement. No complaints or negative feedback. Train them to work together and support each other. Encourage creativity and innovation; discourage competitiveness.”
Implementing Maria’s suggestions was straightforward, but getting the team to adopt them was challenging. Neelie often felt like giving up, but she persevered. Within two months, everything turned around. Productivity and quality improved, and Neelie’s profits increased. She even introduced profit-sharing for her team.
The icing on the cake was a contract for a double wedding of twin sisters, something Neelie wouldn’t usually take on. Thanks to her team’s performance, she accepted, and it was a huge success. More business continued to come in the wedding’s success.
Neelie thanked Maria and realized that effective communication wasn’t just about sharing information but also about creating a culture of collaboration and support.
My story is centred around a business, but the principal message is this:
Good communication isn’t just about sharing information; it’s about building a culture of teamwork and support. This principle also applies to our personal relationships, affecting how we love ourselves, others, and find meaning in life. It’s a fundamental principle.
Always stay ‘In The Loop’ and encourage others to do the same.
[1] In the Loop: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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Until next month
Peter-James Pienaar
Oh, and by the way – Always expect a miracle.
I want to reassure you that I never store or use your details. I do not bombard my readers with post distribution. If I post eight a month, that would be a lot. At the moment, I post four.
This site can be reached with any of the following: https://lovelightpurpose and https://sirpeterjamesdotcom.com.
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