Don’t know when to shut up? Have the tendency to ramble on? Read on to find out if you’re guilty of these communication faux pas.
The way you communicate says a lot about who you are. You’re judged “smart”, “stupid”, “negative”, “leadership material”, and more just by the way you communicate.
If you want to influence people, increase your chances for a promotion, and generally live in peace with others, make sure you’re not committing these common communication mistakes.
Becoming reactive
When someone pushes all the right buttons to make you angry, what do you say? Do you load all the verbal arsenal and shoot back, bullet for bullet? It’s normal to feel angry. But what’s wrong is falling into the trap of taking offense. Lying, crying, shouting, accusing — all of these are “thwarting ploys” by the other party to make you angry. Reacting negatively is counterproductive and won’t yield any good results. Instead, be smart. Disarm your opponent by addressing the and focusing on the root of the problem.
Swearing
Needless to say, interjecting swear words into every sentence can be highly offensive to listeners. Double yikes if you’re doing it in the office; you’ll definitely come off as unprofessional and unfit to be a leader. If you have a favorite curse word, swear it off your vocabulary now.
Assuming
Never make assumptions about what a person means and how he/she feels. You may be facing the same problem, but you don’t have access to anyone’s intentions but your own.
Telling inappropriate jokes
We all love a person who has the ability to make us laugh even at the most trying times. But having a sense of humor should not mean letting loose all those off-color jokes. Inappropriate joking reveals an inability to read people’s moods and makes you look like a fool.
Fidgeting
This includes fiddling with your clothes, playing with mobile devices, and even scratching yourself. Not only is this distracting, it’s also very off-putting. Kick this habit if you don’t want to appear inattentive or ill at ease.
Rambling
Rambling is also the mark of an incoherent mind. Hold the interest of your listeners and make your messages more powerful by keeping your sentences concise.
Not knowing when to be silent
Long silences tend to make us feel uncomfortable, so we fill in the blank spaces with empty chatter. However, there’s always the right time for silence. For instance, if you just made an important remark, silence can give added weight to what you just said. Also, there are times in a conversation when you don’t have to say anything at all. If a friend is grieving or venting out, the best thing you can do is to shut up and listen.
Be aware and ask the people closest to you if you’ve fallen into any of these communication gaffes. You won’t regret correcting them.
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