Communication is an important skill to help any engagement or relationship thrive. We are not able to have a great or thriving relationship if we are not able to have good communication where we have to listen more than speak, make great efforts to use and understand verbal and nonverbal cues, observe body language, and use high levels of the emotional intellect.
When we shut down on our sensitivity to the feelings of others, we may not get their attention and that may lead to a defeat of purpose because we may not be able to collaborate since we have undignified their emotional key, thus hampering effective communication.
What are the few things that can cause barriers to our communication with people? Let us see three suggestions:
Status
If we always consider that the person we are talking to is substandard to us or of a lower status to us, we actually suffer from a superiority complex. This will form a barrier between us and them because we may not be able to engage with them. We have shot ourselves in the foot. Status consideration can be defeated with an attitude of humility.
Language
If there is a disjoint in language or medium of communication, that can be a huge barrier. Sometimes one party can speak better chosen language than the other. Now, language efficiency does not necessarily mean being high flown or using high sounding vocabulary.
It is important that both parties are able to achieve understanding if one person is patient with the other person and finds a way to share with them. Some patience, some humility, and the appreciation of the purpose of being together can help to significantly bridge or totally erase the gap.
Bad Listening
The skill of active listening is underrated because it is either not known or not well understood. Good listening is active listening and that means to listen completely to others when they talk to you. It means to get yourself out of the way. It means to hear beyond the words they utter. It means to hear them. It even means to hear what they are not saying from what they are saying.
For this to happen, there has to be care, love, and genuine concern for the other person. When we can realize the ripple effects of when things go wrong, it should better position us for the huge task of giving attention.
Communication is an important key. If you must have thriving relationships of any kind, you must find a way of communicating effectively. We can become less complex or complicated if we hold on to those values that make us more human than otherwise.
Think of empathy, compassion, humility, connection, engagement, listening, and most importantly being a philanthrope or humanitarian [believer or lover of mankind] as opposed to being a misanthrope. We can transit if we are able to make acceptance.
