Blogging About Communication

Interpersonal communication can be a lot like dodgeball? We need to stay engaged, read the room, know when to throw and when to duck, and be careful not to hit our own teammate.

Think about it. Every conversation has its own movement, strategy, timing, and emotion. Some of us charge into discussions. Others hang back. The best among us play smart, stay responsive, and keep everyone in the game.

KNOW ANY FAST TALKING, RAPID FIRE-THROWERS?

You know the type. Entering the conversation, they throw ten opinions at you before anyone else even touches the ball. These are the dominators, the interrupters, those who assume louder is better. Eventually, others will turn their backs and not play with them. They need to learn to include others, not stream roll them.

KNOW ANY DODGERS WHO TRY AND AVOID PLAYING?

This type just dodges everything. Conflict? Duck. Feedback? Dodge. Difficult conversation? Sprint to the other side of the room. Misunderstandings pile up. Tensions rise. Relationships weaken. Instead we need to approach conversations with honesty, tact, and emotional control.

FRIENDLY FIRE IS REAL

Ever accidentally hurt a colleague with sarcasm, a careless text, or a really bad joke told at their expense? Welcome to interpersonal dodgeball’s version of friendly fire. Instead of misfiring, we need to read emotional cues, and respond with emotional intelligence. Make others feel emotionally safe, not threatened.

THE LESSON

Focus less on scoring relationship points, and more on relationship building. In real life, when you leave a conversation upset, no one wins.

ACTION PLAN

For one full day, challenge yourself to Catch before you throw. Don’t throw the ball right back. Pause and summarize what another person has said before offering your own thoughts. Don’t dodge. Be respectful and direct when you respond to the other person’s contribution. Avoid friendly fire. Ask yourself if what you’re about to say could accidently hurt the other person. Don’t aim to win. Aim to stay connected.