Whenever we say things like “obviously” and “of course”, we risk shutting the doors of communication.
What may be obvious for us today, wasn’t so obvious when we didn’t know it. Once we’ve known it for a while, we take it for granted, and it becomes obvious to us, but it’s still NOT obvious to those who don’t know it.
People who hear “obviously, eveybody knows that” may feel stupid asking for clarification. I know I’ve refrained myself from asking questions because of that, having to take note and then do some research afterward, missing important information through the end of a meeting due to my temporary ignorance.
Crystal clear to some, blurry to others.
Different people learn at different pace. We see things through different lenses. The image in front of us maybe be opaque due to life’s experiences or inexperiences, opportunities or lack of. We travel different roads to enlightenment and hit different bumps along the way.
I can’t remember when and where I first heard of the issues with using those words, but ever since I did, I’ve been watching my words.
Claudio Lassala's Blog 