ENG 123 Notes on Communicating in Relationships
In interpersonal interactions, effective communication involves both talking and listening.
Knowing when to listen and when to speak out is crucial, in addition to the fact that doing both
correctly is helpful. A crucial interpersonal skill that is sometimes forgotten is listening. We
could be so focused on expressing our thoughts and interests that we fail to see how important it
is for the other person to be heard. Simply chatting is insufficient when friendships become
genuine interactions. How you communicate, especially in trying times, can be crucial to getting
your point through.
The Power of Supportive Silence in Listening Relationship development often depends more on
how well you listen than on what you say. A strong factor that may bring us closer to others is
the stillness involved in waiting. The importance of listening to academic achievement may have
previously been covered. Learning about our friends is encouraged by the same guiding
principles that encourage learning about academic subjects. Without understanding what other
people are like and what they are thinking, you cannot consider yourself a good friend. One
method to improve your knowledge of people is to listen well.
We have two ears but only one mouth so that we can listen more and speak less, according to the
saying. Philosopher Zeno of Citium is the source. We value being heard because it lets us know
that our listeners are interested in us as well as themselves. Likewise to how we appreciate others
who talk by listening to them, we demonstrate our interest in their views and opinions by taking
the time to pay attention to them. Give up chatting! Are you the type of person who enjoys
recounting events that have happened to them? Do you anxiously await the conclusion of others'
sentences so that you may immediately respond? Do you inadvertently interrupt others when
they are speaking or complete their sentences? Even in casual conversation, nobody wants to be
cut off. It is insulting and shows a lack of regard for the other person in more intimate
interactions.
Show that you are listening by doing so. These nonverbal cues that we are paying attention to are
referred to as "conversational markers" by linguists. Head nods, uh-huhs, OKs, and other
indications that we're following the dialogue make up these cues. Also crucial is eye contact. By
doing so, we demonstrate that we are listening carefully and that we are interested in what the
other person has to say. Don't multitask as well. Turn off your phone if you're conducting an
important chat. When it does ring, avoid checking the caller ID. Even a brief glance at your
phone indicates that you are not fully present. Use constructive criticism. Respected
psychotherapist Carl Rogers created a very helpful technique for encouraging someone and
drawing them out. Reflective feedback involves the listener restating the speaker's words in an
effort to convey the speaker's meaning. Rephrasing what a speaker has said in an effort to convey
the speaker's meaning is a spoken monitoring method.
