Good communication is key to building personal and work relationships. Do you ever feel like people do not understand you? Sometimes we need to take a step back and see how we are communicating with people, as well as how we are listening. Being an effective communicator is essential in our everyday lives. Communication helps us to listen and absorb information. Good communication helps create empathy, helpfulness, confidence, etc. Do you feel unheard in relationships?

Would you like to be a better communicator? When we focus on good commination instead of our emotions or feelings, we can create less doubt. This communication also helps us to understand how others are truly feeling and how emotions are getting in the way of what is being communicated. This may be important based on your career.

Do you have to communicate and understand others for a living? If so, it is important to always take a step back and evaluate your communication skills and what you may need to do differently. Sometimes we become overwhelmed with our own situations and let our emotions get in the way of our communication with others. Try your best to leave these emotions out of communications to build trust and relationships, such as at work or school.

Good communication helps us

• Prevent and solve problems. When we communicate well with others we can help identify and solve problems instead of missing key information. If we take the time to listen, we can help others, as well as ourselves overcome many obstacles.
• Grow team building strengths. In work, school, and at home we are usually involving a team to work on and accomplish tasks. To work well with others and grow our team building skills we must first have good communication. How will others know what we need or want if we do not communicate and vice versa?
• Create trust. When we use good communication, we are not only conveying that communication but also listening to those that are communicating to us. This communication is key to building trust between friends, family, and colleagues. This trust helps us to become role models to others. To create trust, we must use kind words and not use so much exaggeration, especially when speaking to a partner or loved one. Trust is easily built when focusing on self-awareness and taking responsibility for words and actions.
• Creates thoughtfulness and lasting relationships. When we become effective communicators, we learn to listen before we speak, observe before acting, and provide that trust for ourselves and others. Any and all relationships are better when fostered on communication and trust. When we are true to this communication, we can create a safe space for communication, which helps us avoid arguments and problems.

Ways to be a more effective communicator

• Use active listening to be involved in the conversation
• Listen more than you speak
• Try not to talk at or over people
• Be soft and use good body language and gestures
• Check your facial expressions
• Be clear so that there is no confusion

When we learn to address how we are communicating with others we can alleviate a lot of unnecessary stress and confusion. We can also avoid conflict at work and in relationships when we misunderstand what needs to be done or how people are feeling. When communicating with others try to take a second before responding and fully evaluate what is being communicated to you.

So many problems occur because we miscommunicate and misinterpret what is being communicated to us. Most of the time we let our emotions get in the way of being an effective communicator. Take responsibility for your words and build that trust with others. Good communication is easier than most people think, it just takes time and patience.