Crucial Conversations: How Your Conversation Skills Impact Your Relationships
Respect is like air. You don’t really notice it until it’s not there-and then it’s all you notice.
–Crucial Conversations
Recently, I attended a workshop entitled Crucial Conversations. The workshop was an eye-opener. Often times, we don’t realize how our conversations impact our business, relationships, and friendships. It is crucial that we take time and reflect on our conversations. We have all heard the sayings, “it is not what you say but how you say it” and “think before you speak.” These sayings are so true, as they are a crucial part of effective conversations.
Sometimes, we don’t realize that the way we say something can be received in a negative way by the person we are engaging in a conversation with. It is important that you take the time to make sure your tone, body language, and style of speaking are received in the way in which you intended.
Here are five ways to have meaningful conversations:
- Listen – Do not dominate the conversation or talk over others. Pause and listen. Remember, conversations include more than one person. If you take the time to listen, you will be able to hear the other person’s point of view.
- Be open-minded – Do not enter a conversation with your mind made up. Enter the conversation with an open mind and ear.
- Think before you speak – If you are “in your feelings”, do not respond in the heat of the moment. Take a moment to breathe. If the conversation allows, tell the person or people you need a moment to gather all the facts before you respond.
- Mutual Respect – Treat people the way you want to be treated.
- Eye Contact – Hold eye contact when you are having a conversation. It shows the person you are present in the conversation and that they can trust you.
Be intentional with your conversations. Do not let your conversations reach a crucial, point-of-no-return state, before you take the time to reflect and breathe.
Crystal Myers
CEO of Crystal Myers Writes & Creative Expressions Press