Does language really matter?

If you just heard a very loud clunk, that was probably my jaw hitting the ground, having heard the statement "I'm coming for you" from a Kiwi Politician and I am not sure, when or if we became OK with that kind of message.

It was in relation to the demand for the Government to lift student incomes as many are living in poverty, with many struggling to pay rent and put food on the table. The idea that everyone in our country deserves to live a life of dignity is fact. Research shows that is a right denied to thousands of students needs addressing, but is one person making a threat the way to achieve a positive change? One person advising another via the media that should they not take action to resolve the crisis, they would 'come for them'.

As a passionate advocate for education and as a life-long learner I absolutely agree we need to find a balance between paid and funded education. The piece that floored me was that there is a change in language that is so significant that a threat and holding someone to account are now one and the same.

Are they? Does language really matter?

I am not sure if there is any acceptable work environment or situation when you can tell someone "you are coming for them" as a means of holding them to account, yet in political life, is it now a very acceptable approach?

I took to google to see how often this type of thing occurs and the sad news is that it would appear that it has become common practice. A threat, bullying, slating someone's character on social media, name calling and insults make up our every day life in our political arena. Does this change who we are as people or is it acceptable because we expect it in politics and is it something we need to roll with?

We raise our children to be accepting, act with kindness and to take time to connect, only for us to act as we please as soon as we arrive at adulthood. This is not an attempt to pull down the person who made the comment or to be political, it is simply to ask the question about our language verses our intentions.

Having spent a couple of days last week with our Emerging Leaders, Series 2 for the year, I can tell you that language does matter. What comes out of your mouth tells a story of your intentions. Spend a couple of days listening to what you really have to say and how you say it, you might be surprised by the stories you tell.