Improving Communication

Improving Communication
Communication is a key to success. We communicate every day verbally and nonverbal to co-workers, people on the phone, and to our family. How well we communicate can affect how well we are understood by others, and the kinds of relationships we build. I discovered that I need to be more effective in my communication if I want to reach my goals. My biggest weakness is with nonverbal communication, which is a major part of daily communication. I have difficulty maintaining eye contact with people which affects my ability to listen.   By working to use verbal and nonverbal communication together, I can improve my communication skills.
When someone is talking to me I don’t give eye contact which takes away my attentiveness. In some situations I think my opinion is better before having even heard what someone has to say. By rejecting other people’s opinions or feelings I miss out on information that could really help me. When I am having a conversation and I haven’t taken the time to fully listen I often respond negatively. Conversations become really frustrating when no one understands each other. In a conversation if both people only speak and listen they are not exchanging meaning. They simply exchange words and gestures, which are left to interpretation. “This means that communication is always flawed to some extent” (Ellis, 235). I understand that in order to improve my communication I have to change the way I listen and the way I speak.
Listening is a choice. You can choose to ignore someone if you don’t like what they have to say. However, once you choose to listen there is a nonverbal side and verbal responses that make it easier. Some techniques that stood out for me were being quiet, display openness, and suspend judgments. Listening quietly can help a situation because the person speaking gets to finish saying what they need to say. The person listening should also allow some time to pass before responding so they can process what...