4 Essential Keys to Effective Communication in Love, Life, Work--Anywhere!
The author presents four critical components of effective day-to-day communication as skills you can develop with practice.
Empathetic Awareness Skill :
Emotional awareness of who you are and who you will communicate with has a significant bearing on how effective the communication will be. So,
Recognize who you are and your dignity as a person
Recognize who the other person is and their dignity as a person.
Be open to listening and relating to the other person
If you are in a problematic relationship, think of the positives in it.
Understand your triggers, so you can tailor your reaction to extract the best possible outcome for both.
Big Takeaway:
This quote:
"While we can't control the world around us, we can control our reactions to it." So,
Pause when you hear it
Reflect on what is being said
Adjust your initial reaction
Act only then.
2. Empathetic Listening skill:
Stop your mind from being preoccupied, and focus while you are starting to listen.
Understand the deeper meaning of what the other person is saying.
Do not interrupt them when they speak, and say it back to them as you understand the key messages.
Empathetic listening skill phases: Hear, Understand, Repeat and let them Feel heard
Big Takeaway:
Look for the deeper meaning from the roots of words spoken. Try to understand the intent rather than the mere definition of the words.
3. Empathic Speaking skills.
Clarify and organize thoughts before you speak
Express with respect to the listener
Pause for listener’s response
Thank them for listening
Big Takeaway:
You-Statements vs. I-Statements:
Rephrasing accusatory You-statements to I-Statements are helpful for the listener to feel the need to connect and support.
E.g., "You make me angry" vs. "I feel angry when you.."
4. Empathic Dialogue
You put together components of empathic listening and empathic speaking skills to create empathic dialogues.
Big Takeaway:
Respectfully speak and listen to each other where both the persons feel that they have been heard and understood.
