If you're going to communicate, do it well!

As you may know, every person has a unique way to communicate. The way people interact and exchange information with others has the power to motivate success, discourage productivity, empower positive changes, or enable stagnation. There are 4 well-known primary types of communication: passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive and assertive. Let's take a quick look at each communication style and improve our communication techniques.

We can all agree that communication is a powerful tool! The way we interact with others can make or break the positivity in a company's culture. Let's look at the passive communication style. Passive communicators typically don't like conflict, are overly agreeable, and may have a difficult time expressing their thoughts or feelings. Although passive communicators are easy to get along with, they sometimes feel that others don't listen to their feelings or consider their ideas valuable. 
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Is this you? If so, begin to speak confidently, maintain eye contact while talking, and voice your thoughts more often. This is not only good for you, it is helpful for your co-workers to know what's going on inside your noggin! :)   

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Let's explore the way aggressive people communicate. Unfortunately, this is not one you'll wonder about. People who interact aggressively will be heard, seen, and not ignored. Loud and demanding tones accompanied by criticism, rude commands, and deaf ears accurately defines an aggressive communication style. 

Now that you're aware of this style (and before you start pointing mental fingers at others), does this sound like you? If so, let's work on toning it down a little and speaking with more confidence. Unfortunately, aggressive people tend to be very insecure; thus, they overcompensate by speaking forcefully with others. Be secure within so that you can accept and learn from opposition, making it work for you not against you!

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Here's a communication style that most people talk about! The words "passive-aggressive" are tossed around frequently by most people in American culture. But what is it exactly? Usually a person who is passive-aggressive doesn't become so overnight. The making of such communication style takes time and is most often a result of pent up frustrations and resentment. People are very quick to judge and call-out the passive-aggressive individual but fail to understand the previous era of feeling powerless and unheard. Passive-aggressive communicators are subtle, making it difficult for others to interact with them, thus, causing more problems.

Does this sound like you? If so, here are a few things you can do to communicate more effectively. First, realize your actions are not productive and change them for the better by respectfully relaying your thoughts and feelings in a confident way. Secondly, know that you can be angry or frustrated and not be passive-aggressive. Lastly, find someone you can confide in and get things off your chest! 

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The last way people can communicate is assertively! Being assertive is considered to be the most beneficial way to communicate. People who use this style are able to express their wants, needs, frustrations, difficulties, gratitude, and accomplishments to others around them. Assertive communicators are also very good at listening to others' ideas and feelings. A key component to being assertive is using "I" statements and refusing to blame others! For example, "I am frustrated when I do not receive my job assignment in a reasonable time frame" or "I wish I didn't have to explain this multiple times." This indicates ownership of personal thoughts and feelings instead of blaming someone else. 

Understanding how you and others communicate is the first step in becoming a better communicator. Hopefully you can take what you've learned here and skillfully apply it at work. In order to create a culture of great communicators, every one must take responsibility for how they communicate.

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Until next time, be your best and always move forward!

                                                                                                                                                                           Reference​
Four Basic Styles of Communication. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2019, from             
​                   https://www.uky.edu/hr/sites/www.uky.edu.hr/files/wellness/images/Conf14_FourCommStyles.pdf.