It’s been eight months to the day since I took on the corporate world.
Eight months of navigating the tricky politics that come with an office environment. Eight months of rewiring my brain to understand the difference between working with a team and working for myself. And eight long months of realizing that communication is tough no matter what job you have.
But of COURSE, because everything to me is an AFGE (Another Fucking Growth Experience), I’ve come to discover three solid ways to improve communication with others. They are so freaking simple, and it is going to work wonders in your relationships – personal and professional.
Pretend You are Superman
You know that feeling you get when someone gives you the exact opposite response you really wanted? Or even WORSE – when they are SO CLOSE to saying EXACTLY what you had in mind – but miss it by enough to make you feel completely deflated?
Ah, yes. Hello familiar friend!
Honestly, if I had a dime for every time someone said the phrase, “I wish they just KNEW what to say” – I frankly wouldn’t be writing this blog right now and instead I would be on some remote island chilling my life away.
But the reality is: people are not mind readers.
They don’t know how to give you the perfect response because their brain is not your brain. They have their own messed up brain that has its own associations and connections and baggage. So no, they have no idea that your passive-aggressive smile was meant to incite some grandiose apology. They probably think you’re just being weird.
So whenever you are feeling totally let down by someone else’s inability to express themselves, listen attentively, or respond appropriately, use this trick.
Pretend you’re a super hero. And your magical power is communication.
Superman can fly. Wonder Woman can lasso. Spiderman can climb. And no mere mortal is expected to keep up with the likes of them. They use their powers for good, and do their best to protect and defend those who do not have the ability to do so for themselves.
You are a super hero. And to quote one of the best {{cheese alert}} with great power comes great responsibility.
Stop expecting the same level of communication from everyone else and start taking it upon yourself.
Superheroes help those in need – they don’t expect them to get on their level because they know many simply don’t have the power to do so. You may not be the world’s best communicator, but you seem to continue to feel disappointed that others’ aren’t meeting your standards, so why not just pretend that they don’t hold the same super power as you?
You’ll expect less and empathize more. And that is the perfect recipe to improve communication.
Don’t Assume It’s About You
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