Joanne Peh Instagram – For me, 2024 has been a year defined by relationships and connections. Each moment of the year brought unique opportunities to engage with people from all walks of life—those I barely knew, like KOLs, colleagues, and ministers; those I’ve known for years, like friends and family; and complete strangers, such as the guests on my podcast.
This year, I’ve had countless conversations. Through my podcast What Do I Know (Season 3), I explored significant topics with experts I deeply wanted to learn from. On the Channel 8 TV show A Conversation with Minister, I briefly delved into the lives of our leaders, uncovering how their childhoods shaped them. My collaboration with PrettyFit and my daughter pushed me to articulate design ideas and bring them to life in ways I never had before. Then, in Q4, my foray into TikTok live-streaming thrusted me into uncharted waters, forcing me to confront just how much I didn’t know and to discover conversations I never even realized I was missing.
Each of these experiences left an indelible mark, and one resounding takeaway stood out: effective communication is an incredibly difficult skill to master. Because communication is only as effective as the listener’s ability to grasp it in its intended context. And in a world full of noise, are we truly listening? Even if we think we are, how much of what we hear is distorted by our assumptions?
Our understanding is shaped by our worldviews—products of our upbringing, life experiences, and the stories we absorb. If we filter the words we hear through our own context, rather than understanding the speaker’s intent, can the speaker still be considered an effective communicator? And can we call ourselves active listeners?
These questions linger with me, making me hesitate to speak or write. How can I be certain you’ll understand? And if it’s not meant to be understood, why even verbalize it? Words and opinions hold no meaning without context, and finding someone who shares the same context feels increasingly rare.
So, as I step into 2025, my chosen word is #silent. Not in an extreme sense, but in the hope that in silence, I might begin to hear more. | Posted on 11/Jan/2025 16:12:52
