Humans, being social creatures, inherently rely on communication in their day-to-day lives in order to create bonds with one another and build their social groups. Indeed, with the amount of communication we use, miscommunication and misunderstanding are bound to come up, which may, more often than not, lead to arguments and conflict. In this case, it is important to learn to better your communication in order to improve your work and personal relationships.
Some Phrases to Avoid
For example, in a conversation, you may often hear the phrases –
- “You always…”
- “What about when you…”
- “At least I am not…”
- “I did not…”
- “I was not…”
- “You are wrong”
- “You are overreacting”
- “That is true”
The problem with these common phrases is that they come in the form of attacks that come up when a person becomes defensive in an argument and stops listening to the other person. This way, the conversation often ends up escalating from a small discussion into a full-blown fight intended not to solve, but rather hurt one another.
Some Phrases to Use Instead
Instead of that, try replacing these phrases and say –
- “I am listening”
- “Tell me more”
- “The part I agree with is…”
- “I did not think of it this way”
- “What could I have done differently?”
- “What made you feel this way?”
- “I see this has upset you”
- “My perspective or opinion is…”
Such phrases reveal to the other person that their thoughts are being listened to and their feelings are being taken into account. At the same time, you get to make your point calmly and in a fair manner.
What Effective Communication Really Means
To clarify, effective communication is less about the simple exchange of information and more about understanding the emotions and intentions behind the information, as well as expressing yourself in a healthy way. Effective communication is defined as the successful conveying or sharing of thoughts, ideas, feelings, and emotions.
These are only a few effective communication tips that you can apply to any part of your life. However, the key point you should remember is that each person has a different perspective than yours, so what might be hurtful to them might not be hurtful to you. In general, keep in mind that when you listen, you should listen with an open heart and mind. Instead of working against one another, work alongside each other against the issue at hand. At the end of the day, conflicts tend to be much easier to resolve when each party feels understood.