Being "Other-Oriented"

Ronald O. Wastyn, Ph.D., Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Senior Leadership Consultant, Wastyn & Associates, Inc. 

The study of communication has been a part of my life since my first year at Augustana College. I enjoyed the subject matter so much that I went on to get advanced degrees including a PhD in Communication. One of the concepts that makes the study of communication unique it the focus on the audience: good communicators are “other-oriented” in their message creation and delivery.

Being other-oriented simply means the ability to put other people’s thoughts, feelings, and needs ahead of our own. As such, we would adapt our messages in ways that other people could create shared meaning. To me this belief is foundational to successful communication.

So, this seems simple right?? Well, not so much. Placing ourselves in the hearts and minds of other people means we need to, at times, put our concerns second. Today, we continue to see a society increasingly intolerant of other people. If people are not like me, they are the “other.” The problem becomes when we view them as different and inferior to us, we do not seek to better understand them or their needs. Instead, we see legislative efforts designed to make sure that people who are believed to be “different” from the norm are not accepted into the mainstream.

Most nonprofit organizations have the purpose to help others, often stemming from a person's compassion and respect for other people. The founder(s) likely had a passion for a problem that they understood by practicing other-orientedness. They understood that people’s problems are not their fault. Why? Because they took the time to put other people’s thoughts and needs ahead of their own. They sought to better understand the lives of other people with their purpose not individualistic, but communal. They know that by seeing the world through someone else’s experiences, they not only communicate better, but they also gain a perspective by which they can attempt to provide a community response to the challenges of other people.

So, here’s to nonprofits: people who regularly practice being “other-oriented” and put the needs of the community ahead of any individual needs.

The next two #FundraisingFriday videos will talk more about how you can take an other-oriented approach to have more success in your fundraising and development efforts.