“If you have time, try to wash the pots in the sink,” said the mother as she walked out the door to go to her office. Her teenage son, head down concentrating on the cell phone, grunted in reply, “Uh-huh.” To the mother’s dismay, the pots remained untouched when she returned home that evening. The son, when confronted by his frustrated mother, excused his lack of action with the explanation, “You said ‘if I had time,’ and I was at the mall all day.”
Yes, it is funny, but if it happens to you, not so funny, right?
At times, do you feel that you are not heard or seen?
Do your efforts not seem to lead to the returns you expected?
Misunderstandings similar to the one described above arise at work, in schools, on the playground, and at home creating conflicts, resentment, and disconnection.
Communication issues are the number one reason for relationship problems. They can get in the way of people connecting at a meaningful level.
And after all, isn’t it the relationships we have that help determine whether we feel happy or miserable?
Effective communication skills are vital for us to live a fulfilling life.
But despite the importance of communicating effectively, communication skills are very misunderstood, and one of the most challenging skills to successfully use.
So, if you want to build strong, meaningful, and more enjoyable long-term relationships with your family, friends, and colleagues…
If you want to succeed in your business life…
If you want to be more appreciated and influential…
Then you need to be able to COMMUNICATE effectively.
And communication is not all about using words.
According to studies, your words contribute only 7% to the effectiveness of your message. Your voice–how you sound when you’re speaking–contributes 38% to the effectiveness of your message. Body language, which is what you do and how you look when speaking, contributes the remaining 55% to the effectiveness of your message. Your own state of mind when communicating is of vital importance.
What if, when speaking to her son about washing dishes, the mother had said, “I need you to wash these pots so I can cook tonight. When can you get to these, at latest by 5:00 this evening?” The verbal response, and the actions, would have had more meaning and avoided what, in reality, was a mutual frustration.
When a child (or significant other or colleague at work) evades being response-able, they are weakened and allowed to avoid, while you of course feel frustrated. And when communication does work, everyone feels empowered. Effective communication can make a big difference in your daily life.
