Communication is the foundation of everything we do. Whether you leave the house or not, you still communicate with others daily, online or in person. How well you get along with people hinges on how well you communicate. How successful you are in life hinges on how well you communicate. There are a few ‘rules’ that you can apply to all of your communications.

Why?

This is specifically for work or professional communication. Often, we waste a lot of time and energy communicating when we don’t know why we’re bothering others. So, think about what you would like to accomplish?

This can also be applied to your personal life; even idle chit-chat can have some purpose, whether bonding or getting to know someone.

When others initiate a conversation, consider why it’s taking place. If you can’t understand why try to gently guide the dialogue to determine the why. The purpose of this is to focus and understand the why to avoid rabbit trails and side issues that detract from the manner at hand.

In-Person Communication

Have you ever fallen out with someone over text message? Or watched a fight unfold on social media because one person read someone else’s tone wrong? If you’re dealing with a highly emotional issue, it should be addressed in person. If it’s impossible to do so in person, do so via video call. This goes for positive and negative emotions. You want everyone to get sucked into your positive energy if you’re delivering excellent news.

As far as bad news or negative conversations go, please do the job in person.

Email Facts

People often lose concentration when they are being given facts and figures verbally. If you’re dealing with a finance issue, statistics, or otherwise, opt for emailing this information so the other person can quickly look back on the numbers when necessary.

No Talking, Listen

This applies to in-person communication. Stop spending so much time doing all the talking and start listening. Unless you are the one who came to the table to start a conversation, give others the respect they’re due when they are trying to communicate their ideas or feelings. Don’t dominate conversations with your motor-mouth.

Simplicity

We live in a society of information overload, so simplify your messages. You might use five sentences, but you can probably say it with one.

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.