Continuing with the series on honing our communication skills, today I want to share a third tip from Michael Thompson: observe the strong communicators in your own life.
I don’t know about you, but I am a people watcher. I am constantly observing the people around me—and I find that I am constantly learning from them in the process! By consistently and intentionally studying the interactions and reactions of the people I encounter in my day-to-day life, I don’t simply pick up tidbits about those people, I often pick up tips to apply in my own life!
This is especially relevant for the area of communication. As Thompson notes, “Every meeting, encounter on the street, or water cooler chat is an opportunity to learn from the confident communicators around you.” He goes on to explain that simply by being “more conscious of how the people around us are navigating their own interactions with others [including us],” we can identify and leverage positive communication techniques in a way that works for us.
In his article Thompson includes a very practical list of questions to keep in mind when observing others. Here are a few of my favorites:
- “What is their body language like when they approach you?”
- “How do they lead into asking their questions? Do they jump right in or do they use softeners like ‘I’m curious’ or ‘As someone with your experience, I’d love to know what you think about X?’”
- “When they aren’t speaking how are they positioning themselves that makes it clear they are paying attention to you?”
- “When they are in a hurry how do they politely exit themselves from conversations?”
- “How does their tone change when they have to give bad news?”
Pay attention to the people around you. Learn from those who communicate most effectively (and learn what not to do from those who do not)! I guarantee, if you pay attention, you will learn something!
To see more critical questions and read the rest of Thompson’s excellent article, click here.
