WAIT!

Why are you talking?

Not only do we tend to think we’re more skillful than all the other drivers on the road, we often give ourselves too much credit for our communication abilities.

Ideally, the highest quality conversations are when both parties are fully engaged, kind, truthful, appropriate and helpful to both persons involved.

It’s hard to have a high quality conversation if you’re thinking something different than what you’re saying.

So why are you talking anyway? What’s your true agenda? Are you trying to teach, to persuade, to encourage or to correct? Do they want to be taught, persuaded, encouraged or corrected?

Is your shared experience story received as another point of connection or is it construed as one-upmanship?

Being aware of your motives improves your connections with others.

So while you are WAITING to take your turn: take a breath, take a moment, and answer the WAIT question. You’ll be surprised at how this small change creates a big difference in your communication and your relationships.

Here are a few examples of how you might change what you say out loud after you WAIT and acknowledge what you’re really thinking internally.

Coaching helps you master your life. Let’s talk about this and other ways to communicate well, or whatever else you’d like help with.