The Only Communication Techniques You’ll Ever Need

Whether on the job as a Human Resource Professional or talking with your Significant Other, you can be the best communicator around if you follow these 2 rules:

1. Maintain or Enhance their Self-Esteem. We may not be responsible for how other people feel, but if the other person walks away from our conversation feeling “less than,” we have failed to communicate.  Somtimes we can be condescending in our tone and not realize it.  Rule #2 can give us insight on how to implement Rule #1.

2. Listen with Empathy. They provide whole day seminars on this subject.  Listening takes discipline.  To be able to listen to another person without formulating responses in our head is a challenge for most of us.  Having empathy means that we acknowledge how they feel.

One more time, my advice is simple, but sometimes hard to do.  Awhile back, I made a small card with these 2 rules on it and kept it in my desk drawer.  When someone would enter my office, I would crack the drawer open and look at the card.  I had to wing it at home and this is when I got in the most trouble.

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