A Great Way to Improve Workplace Communication!

First, ask yourself...
Do you ever get the feeling that you don't really understand the meaning behind someone's message?

True, effective communication only takes place when the message that the "listener" interprets is a true reflection of exactly what the "speaker" not only said, but meant as well. If the listener does not fully understand the meaning, feeling and thoughts behind the speaker's words, then true communication did not really take place. Words might have been exchanged, but the real message was not understood by the listener.

A common problem many people have is that in an attempt to interpret what someone tells us, we filter it through our OWN paradigm. We reference OUR past experiences, OUR feelings, and OUR perceptions, but the person sending the message usually doesn't share any of these same things with us. It is this typical reaction on the part of the listener that most often causes miscommunication.

The next time you find yourself doing it, make it a point to ask clarifying questions and draw out as much information from the other person as you can. Do everything you can do in order to get to know how THEY feel, and what THEY really mean. Doing this will help you see things from their paradigm, thus allowing message sent to truly equal message received!


**This week's tip was taken from "Promoting Open & Healthy Dialogue" which is the October session of The Compass Program. Click Here to view the schedule of all 12 sessions for The Compass Program.