In the Digital Age, especially working from home, it is important to be able to communicate formally AND informally. To do that, you must be a social chameleon. What do I mean by that? Think about it.
Chameleons can change their color to blend into their environment. Their eyes can even look in two different directions to help them see everything and act quickly. You want to be able to do that in social situations not just to survive but to thrive. Here are three reasons why.
In many other languages there are formal and informal ways to say you to set the tone of the conversation. English doesn’t have that. Everyone is you! So, you must use different verbs to show the level of formality.
If you’re too formal when you need to relax, others will see you as robotic. On the other hand, if you’re too informal when you should be more serious, others make think you’re being disrespectful. As a chameleon you can use your observation skills to adjust your tone to fit your environment.
Some things need to be discussed in a meeting. Others can be solved by sending an email, calling someone or sending a quick text. If you’re able to explain what you mean clearly AND ask insightful questions, you and your team can find a solution to the problem more efficiently. You can use your chameleon survival instinct here. Observe your surroundings. Figure out the best way to accomplish the task that will conserve your energy and avoid any unnecessary drama…uh…danger.
The whole point of communication is to connect with other people. When you can recognize what they expect and act accordingly, you earn their respect. The relationship becomes much deeper than just being coworkers. You become part of their tribe. This allows you both to grow long term as part of a community.
Back to the chameleon. They change their colors to hide from predators and prey. Those who change at the right time keep the other chameleons safe and enjoy the benefits of being part of a larger group. They feel safer together and can work together to catch more food if they can communicate properly.
Are you ready to become a social chameleon? Check out the Advanced English Conversation Course and get started!
I really loved this. Maybe it’s because I love analogies
What a good read i just had. But i have a question, what would be a good job for someone with chameleon character like that ?
Hola 😃, considero que un buen trabajo para alguien con carácter ‘‘camaleónico’’ seria el de emprendedor ❤️ me encanta este papel en el que puedes y tienes que estar involucrado en todo finanzas, logística, contabilidad, ventas, administración, liderazgo, desarrollo de un mejor desempeño de tu equipo , no es una tarea fácil muchos desisten pero con el tiempo uno se da cuenta que es uno de los mejores caminos, la experiencia que te llevas es realmente buena pero no olvides que todo el tiempo tienes que estar en modo camaleón 😃…
I think this is a very important point. You really need to prepare yourself when you have to make yourself known and you are being part of a big group around the world.
Wow que buenísima analogía
This is very interesting !!
By the way, to avoid misunderstandings, it is essential to have knowledge of words that could be “false friends” or simply know the correct pronunciation of each word. Sometimes the sound of a “z” or an “s” can make a big difference between a swear word and a simple word. Native speakers notice these differences. Believe me !!
Nice article, which fits perfectly on my regular days. All the team resides in Arkansas, so I’m the only one offshore, and what you describe is exactly the ongoing for my specific case.
Regards.
I use to apply this every day, however, it’s really difficult for me to find social experiences during quarantine in Buenos Aires.
😎 I love to read,
So, we should Become a Social Chameleon
Nice Article. Actually I’m take a english basic course (A1) and this article that perfect!
This was amazed reading and I liked that analogy to chameleon, I think that we should be sometimes chameleons
You have a point, it’s kind of obvious that you have to take certain behavior depending on the context. From my pov, I think that we must learn modisms more frequently, because, so far as I know, there is no course that teach you that, in my case I learnt them from movies, games and series.