Effective communication is essential for every part of your life. Whether in a business, friendship, marriage or any other situation, effective communication is necessary to express information, feelings and opinions. Many people communicate frequently, but only a few truly communicate effectively. Knowing the basics of effective communication will help you improve your communication skills and thereby improve your relationships.
Stay in the Present
One of the keys of conflict resolution is remaining focused on the current problem instead of revisiting old resentments. Bringing the past into a current problem tends to confuse current issues and does not help solve present problems. Address your present feelings by staying focused on the present moment as a cornerstone for effective communication.
Features
Listening is another foundation of effective communication. People who listen have a greater ability to respond effectively to what someone else communicates. Even if you can communicate your thoughts precisely and accurately, if you do not listen, your communication will be ineffective because it will not be pertinent to the situation at hand. Most people think they are good listeners, but are actually too busy thinking of what they will say next, which prevents you from listening empathetically. Try your best not to interrupt someone who is speaking or to become defensive. Mirror back what someone else says to you as an effective way to acknowledge that you have heard the other person. Mirroring will help you understand the other person more deeply, which will help the other person be more likely to listen to whatever you say as well.
Function
The function of conflict resolution is to try to see from the other person's perspective. In conflict situations, people want to be understood. Most people try to get others to understand them, but it is important to try to understand the other person as well by asking questions to understand this person's perspective. In doing so, the other person will most likely reciprocate by trying to understand you better.
Significance
A significant aspect of conflict resolution is to take personal responsibility by acknowledging when you have made mistakes. Accept responsibility for helping to cause the conflict to demonstrate personal strength and maturity to move a situation forward. Use statements that begin with the word "I" instead of making accusatory statements. Taking responsibility for yourself enables you to lead by example, which often causes the other party involved in the conflict to take responsibility for himself too.
Considerations
A difficult aspect of conflict resolution is handling criticism. Try to respond empathetically when criticized by understanding if the person providing the criticism is experiencing pain and whether the negativity might be more a result of this person's pain than what you have done. Rather than trying to defend yourself, however, try to see if some of the criticism is true. Make sure you understand the criticism properly and ask questions if you need clarification. Look for ways to compromise in arguments to ensure both sides can be happy.
References
- "The Art of Dialogue: Exploring Personality Differences for More Effective Communication; Center for Applications of Psychological Type"; 2006
- University of Northern Colorado: Principles of Effective Communication
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