I often talk of my amazement that mainstream education does not provide any communication lessons, or listening lessons, yet these skills are unquantifiably more important than say maths, physics, geography for the preparation for life.
Most of us leave education ill-equipped to do the most important thing, to be able to listen and then effectively communicate with others.
Perhaps as part of the communication lessons that we so badly need to be implemented at school, we could include a lesson, or more, on why defining the meaning of words clearly before attempting to discuss them is so important.
Many words are discussed at work or in life, such as creativity, innovation, productivity, generosity, authenticity, kindness, tolerance and many more. Yet how often do we pause to come to an agreement on the definition? Or even know the definition or how the other person is defining it.
Without definition, everything is a blur, with it we can understand.
Philip Dodson 