T
he festive season is a time when we strive to be generous and share the traditional Christmas spirit with those around us at work or at home. At Christmas, we show our respect or love for those in our lives with the custom of gift-giving. Not all gifts, however, need to come in boxes. We can also give the gift of being an open and honest communicator and listening well to what others have to say to us. Follow our three simple tips to make sure that you give meaningfully in your style of communication.
1. Speak from your heart: When people hear what is coming from your heart, they can be moved to transcend the basic message and to grasp what you have to say with greater appreciation.
2. Make personal contact: There is a lot to be said for face-to-face communication, especially when there is so much emphasis these days on e-mail, social networking sites and text messages. Of course, any type of personal contact is better than none but a good old-fashioned conversation builds relationships, and breeds trust.
3. Listen with passion: Peter Drucker said that the most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. Meaningful communication begins when you understand that the best gift you can give is to be a truly great listener.
Why not adopt these good habits all year round?