Category: Uncategorized
-
Friendships are built on trust, shared experiences, and honest communication. But even the strongest friendships may face challenges when a difficult conversation becomes necessary. Whether you’re addressing hurt feelings, a misunderstanding, or a serious concern, approaching a difficult conversation thoughtfully can strengthen the relationship without damaging it. While these talks may feel uncomfortable, they are…
-
Members of the general public now turn to artificial intelligence to write their emails, news summaries, marketing copy, and even full blog posts. Tools like generative AI can produce text in seconds that comes off as polished and convincing. But that raises a question that all of us should now be asking: Did a person…
-
Social laughter is a valuable interpersonal tool, and among the messages we eagerly give and receive when interacting with significant others, friends and colleagues. When used inappropriately, however, when individuals laugh at rather than with others, it has a downside. Have you ever been the subject of another’s mean-spirited laughter? Laughter Does Not Always Produce…
-
Joyful laughter plays a key role in interpersonal relationships. A form of conversational punctuation, we often fail to appreciate its value and importance. Here’s what joyful laughter—a rhythmic burst of social glue–accomplishes. IT MAKES US FEEL GOOD Laughter triggers the release of “feel good” chemicals in our brains which can add years to our lives.…
-
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Communication is the single biggest factor affecting our relationships. When our communication suffers, our relationships suffer. Once we experience social isolation, we may experience both a physical and mental decline. Social deprivation and feelings of loneliness weaken our resilience, compromising our well-being. What It Means to…
-
Communication skills are high on the list of what recruiters and employees look for potential hires. Among the most sought-after communication skills are: Being Able to Listen Attentively and Avoid Distractions Are you a receptive listener? Do you give the person you’re interacting with your undivided attention? Displaying Emotional Intelligence Are you able to express…
-
A constructive conversation is a special kind of talk. It’s an intentional and candid dialogue with the focus placed on achieving mutual understanding. The goal of a constructive conversation is problem-solving, not winning. It’s a robust exchange of ideas, in which the parties feel heard and respected. Engaging in a constructive conversation enables people with…
-
We often need to work with others to make decisions, solve problems, and accomplish specific goals. In effect, we function as a team with each of the individuals we work with performing a particular role with respect to the others and works with them, cooperating to achieve a desired end. What Actions Make a Team…
-
According to American novelist Ernest Hemingway, “The best way to discover if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” How many of the many people you interact with regularly do you trust? How many of them do you think trust you? What is Trust? Trust requires the presence of both trusting and trustworthy behavior.…
-
How many real friends do you have? Although sadly some eight percent of Americans report having no close friends, more than fifty percent report having between one and four good friends, and over thirty-eight percent report having five or more close friends. Characteristics of Close Friendships Close friendships share these eight characteristics: (1) The friends…
Blogging About Communication 