Learn to Speak Dolphin

On a scale of 0 – 10, how would you rate your communication skills?

7—Sort of ok?

Better?

Do you think you rate better than a dolphin?

You've lost me, mate!

It is fairly common knowledge that we often overestimate our ability to make something clear—to take something complicated and explain it in plain terms.

I heard of one study, where speakers were asked to evaluate how well their intended meaning was being understood, compared to what the audience reported. Most presenters thought they had done a great job. But the data disagreed. Audiences lost the thread much earlier than the speakers had realised.

Which leads us to the intriguing conclusion that there is great potential to misunderstand each other.

Welcome to Animal Instincts where I attempt to extract some wisdom from our natural world and see what it might teach us at work and at home. Today I am going to talk about dolphins.

I am an Englishman living in Australia. My family and I have been here for over 20 years, but I still love the thrill of seeing a pod of dolphins off the coast. And I’ll never forget the day my son and I were paddling in shallow water and a dolphin came right up to us, as if to give a friendly ‘hello’.

They are fun to watch and listen to. Dolphins use clicks, whistles, body language, and coordinated movement to communicate with one another. Researchers believe some dolphins even develop unique signature whistles—almost like names.

Most people probably think they make just one type of noise. That, sort of, staccato cackle we are all familiar with. But to really understand what a dolphin is saying we would need to give time to learning all their varied means of ‘speaking’.

Death by email

This is the same with humans too, and why we apparently only retain 5% of what we hear in a lecture. It is just one method of communication. And why a relatable story can convey a point far better than just reeling off a fact. To really land a thought, or point of view, we need to use more than one 'voice'.

I remember talking to a lady who couldn’t understand why her adult children often felt offended and hurt by things she said. Until I realised that email was her primary means of communication! She had some important things to tell them, and she wanted to make sure she was saying them clearly, thinking carefully about the words she used. But it never occurred to her that some messages are best given in person.

Her children needed to see her face, the love in her eyes, the phrases that were a little tongue-in-cheek with a slight, wry smile.

But all they received were cold words on a page.

It makes me wonder in my work life and family life how much I just throw words at people. An email, a text, an instruction, a presentation.

Now I am not suggesting that we go all touchy-feely with every exchange of information in the office, but maybe there are some conversations when facts aren’t enough—when person needs to know there is a real human behind the words. To use different ‘voices’ like intonation, humour, eye contact, illustration, kindness, empathy, and so on.

To connect.

Dolphins communicate through whistles, clicks and movement.

Perhaps our biggest communication mistakes happen when we rely on only one voice. 

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If you enjoy reading articles like this, my small contribution to this space is a series of guided journals.

 Sloths are Awesome, Slow Down and Breathe is one of several designed to help you slow your pace, reflect honestly, and reconnect with what actually matters—before life forces you to.

Feel free to explore it here: https://geni.us/qMdXgJ 

And… to discover more of what Animal Instincts has to offer, please go back to the main page here: https://www.animalinstincts2026.au/