Lately, I have seen many references to bettering skills. The term “better” is used in book titles, advertisements and for a myriad of other purposes.
How can I do [insert goal] better?
The issue I have with this, is that everyone has a different conception of what better means for them. We all take our various understandings and perspectives of the world and project them onto this term, assuming that everyone shares our conception.
However, for some, better means more specific. To others, better may mean more general. Better can mean more accurate. Maybe better means more effective.
I propose that rather than continuing to perpetuate this vague language, that doesn’t lead us to effectively sharing meaning, we should make effort to apply greater specificity to our actual intent.
For example, in the case of this blog, my intent is not to answer the question “How can I communicate better?” Instead, my purpose is to assist you in identifying how you can communicate more effectively to reach your desired outcomes. I am working to answer the question, “How can I communicate more effectively?”
What do you think?
What do you mean when you say better? How else can we communicate more effectively? Share your comments below.