The Power Of Communication: Change Your Language To Change Your Mindset

Even the smallest shift towards a more action-oriented and/or positive affirmation can have immediate effects on one’s energy, outlook, and sense of control.

Let's start with a picture to demonstrate what I intend to refer to...

How many freaking times do we go through this even in our routine lives both personal & professional ? If you are nodding your head, we need to change something.

Communication has been referred to as an indispensable quality of leadership. Why ? Well, it is a skill to build trust, inspire loyalty & lead effectively.

Communication is an act of will directed toward a living entity that reacts. ~Helio Fred Garcia

This means there is a reaction to everything we communicate, by both verbal & non-verbal means. So, positive communication becomes all the more important. If we understand the need, what's stopping us is the "how" to do it. I collected some simple steps which we can slowly inculcate in ourselves to improve gradually.

1. Asking questions is a critical way to build relationships with others

Asking questions effectively is one way to improve your communication, which can shape how you approach every situation. This helps us to see the things from an additional perspective especially of those who are concerned. Another attribute of "Listening" becomes important here. Mostly we "hear" the words & do not "listen". This technique has be profoundly used in many scenarios and sometimes referred to as "Feedback Technique".

2. Consciously choose our words

Once we know the requirements, issues & expectations, then we can consciously use word choices to help us re-frame our thoughts and associated feelings, behaviors, and outcomes. We must always remember it is not what we say that matters, but how we say it because the person receiving is free to interpret it in his or her own way.

3. Communicate

In my personal experience, I have found out that mostly we miss to communicate. I, myself, was doing this mistake for years and the worst part that I didn't even realize that. It becomes almost impossible for people to behave in accordance if they do not know what is expected. We must in all conditions, Communicate. It becomes more important in case of discrepancies.

4. Expectation Management

This topic (and also the picture), even being self-explanatory, is rarely practiced. This tends to happen when we become "obsessed" or "biased". Well, I deliberately chose those two strong words. Sometimes we are so consumed in getting things done that we do not realize the expected outcome or deliverable may not be feasible under certain or current conditions. Being more practical and pushing things in accordance to the steps mentioned above can produce better calculations and help setting right expectations.

Positive communication is the ability to convey messages, even negative ones, in a  positive manner.

Positive communication is an important part of our communication skills and has a great impact on our career or business.

Being Mindful About Our Words

Generally speaking, words can either help us handle a situation in a way that benefits us—or words can hurt our ability to act. To start adopting more positive affirmations throughout our lives, the first step is to become more aware of the way we are talking to ourselves and to others.

“Start by being very conscious about the way you’re thinking, and how you frame those thoughts."

To improve on positive communication, we must start from inside. We must apply to ourselves. Small changes in our basic ways of communications can prove to be a lot helpful.

Instead of saying ‘I want to’ we can say ‘I am.’ â€œI want to quit smoking” is not as powerful as saying “I am smoke-free.” The shift is from something “I am not” to something “I am”. It helps immediately increase your energy because your thoughts can come from the desired state instead of it being something you aspire to be. If I am smoke free I have immediate choices to live out today to make that true.

Try it with something you want to do:

I want to become a better mother, leader, son. I want to lose weight, exercise more, be more organized.

• I am a good mother, leader, son.
• I am a healthy eater.
• I am an active and physically fit person.
• I am organized.

Conclusion

I would like to conclude. Communication comes after the imagination or thinking. When we react (which is more than 90% of the times), we follow our immediate thoughts. The key to improve the communication is by improving what we are thinking. If we consciously practice to think only positive despite the situations around us, it becomes a habit with regular practice. We must not forget, even brain is like any other muscle, we just need the right kind of exercise.

Positive Thinking = Positive Communication

So, if we make this as a habit, we slowly and gradually improve our mindset. We start responding to situations rather than reacting.

What we think, we become. ~ Buddha

This is not going to be easy, this is not going to be simple. But if it is to be, it is up to me. We have to do it...