Kiss - Keep It Simple, Sweetie

I was listening to my best friend’s husband trying to speak to his Amazon Alexa the other week, much to my merriment. And it got me thinking that the best way to communicate is keeping it simple.

In my 20s I worked in Mallorca, and it became very apparent very quickly how we Brits use far too many words when we communicate.

Brit: “I wonder, if it’s not too much trouble, could I possibly have an extra pillow please?”

Other nationalities: “I need an extra pillow.”

Which one do you think the Spanish speaking receptionist understood the best?

In relationships, we women often expect our male partners to be mind readers. He should ‘know’ what we want without having to be told, right? But this can put him into the classic stress response of freeze, fight or flight. He will either ignore you or not hear you (freeze), try to fix you or argue (fight), or leave the room and hide (flight).

Keep communication simple.

I’m sure some of you gentlemen are reading this and thinking ‘Hallelujah. Finally, someone who gets us’. But let me add a caveat here. Alexa is programmed to give you what you want, whenever she’s asked, without question.

Gentlemen, don’t get too comfortable!