December 2016

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on December 13th 2016   Why is it so hard to listen? Like many of us, I have interacted with persons that are not good listeners. Such conversations are usually not as fruitful as they should have been and end up taking too long. It is often frustrating.  Over the years, I have learnt that every good conversation starts with active listening.  It is crucial for both parties to be willing to listen. Unfortunately, many of us are not willing to listen. Many are quick to speak listening only with the intention to respond. Why do we take listening for granted? Without listening, there is no communication or at its best, there is poor communication.  Without listening, we focus more on ourselves and miss the opportunity to hear what the other person has to say. Without listening, we miss the other person’s point of view. This means without listening…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on December 6th 2016 Love it or Hate it, WhatsApp has revolutionized how we communicate via instant messaging!  In 2011, a friend based in the USA told me about a new app cheaper than regular SMSs. I thought the name was “What’s Up”, the slang greeting. I soon figured out the correct spelling and downloaded the App. By then, there were less than 10 of my contacts already on it.  The App was meant to be free for one year and thereafter a $0.99 annual fee would apply. A year later, I did not receive any fee notification and continued to enjoy the free messaging service. In Kenya and other emerging markets, the app has picked very fast.  Today, WhatsApp, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014, has gone from a messaging service for family and friends to a powerful business communications tool.  It is arguably seen as the…