Do you really communicate with others the way you want?

Good communication involves two things, listening and talking, and there are just some simple rules to master each. This sounds pretty basic, but many people forget that good communication involves listening as well as talking. It could even be argued that listening is the more important of the two: how can you know what to say unless you first know what the other person wants or needs to hear?

To be a good listener you need to:

– Be warm and attentive

– Really SHOW that you are listening

– Show that you are understanding

– Don’t judge right off the bat

– Use silence when you feel its right

And to be a good talker you also need to:

– Express messages in a clear and effective manner

– Use clear language that can’t create misunderstandings

– Use non-verbal communication as well!

– Repeat, repeat, repeat, especially if it’s something complicated to understand

– Check if the other person is understanding what you are trying to say

What misunderstandings have you had due to lack of communication and how did you solve them?