WE NEED TO TALK: WHY DO WE NOT HAVE A CLEAR COMMUNICATION?

By Chinecherem Ubaka

Usually when we hear "son, we need to talk", "mother, we need to talk" or " Baby, we need to talk", we get cold chills and unsettled. 

Before getting to the "we need to talk" part, what happened? I mean both parties must have been conversing before then. However, for this "we need to talk" time, there is designated time for a specific subject matter to be discussed.

Communication becomes the oil for a relationship to thrive when it is clear. For me, when it comes to communication in all it's forms, clarity is beautiful. A clear communication is one in which both parties leave the meeting room  on the same page. There is no iota of confusion. What and what constitutes a stumbling block to a clear communication?

ANGER

We have heard several times that anger is a spoiler. Anger is a deadly emotion that has the ability to cloud our reasoning process and make us act in the heat of the moment.  To achieve a clear communication, it's best we do not talk when we are angry.

EGO

When we arrive at the meeting room with the "I know it all mindset", then there is a problem. This is because whatever the other party is going to say will make no sense to us. We must have an open mindset  so that we can actually listen to the other party.

STATUS

The status of the parties communicating can be a barrier if they allow it. For instance, as bosses in the office, if we allow our status get into our head, it will be difficult to achieve a clear communication with our employees or subordinates and we might likely loose out on information that may mar our positions or business entities and vice -versa.

CHANNEL

Yes, the communication channel is a factor. When we do not employ the right channel in communication, it would be difficult to achieve a clear communication. You don't expect to achieve clarity if you are using text message when you ought to have had a face-to-face conversation. Neither, would you expect to have a clear conversation when you employ a formal mode of communication in an informal setting.

PERSONALITY

The personality of parties involved matters a lot especially with regards to the atmosphere for the conversation. A clear communication is better achieved in a calm atmosphere. You can't communicate well in tensed environment. It's not possible. Whether you are hot tempered or cold tempered, you need to calm down to communicate clearly.

With effective and clear communication, many problems can be averted and solved as well. The next time you need to talk, communicate clearly.