Interpersonal Communication Skills - D Is For...

We are launching a series about communication that focuses on family interaction, rather than on workplace dynamics...

Of course, many tips and guidelines that help you develop family relationships can be carried over to the workplace environment. Learning to get along with the most important people in your life can help you get along with others, most of whom don’t play a major role. We have so many communication ideas and so much relationship advice that once again we are starting an alphabetical series. However, we don’t promise to handle the letters in strict alphabetical order, nor even to do all of them.

D is for dedicated. It’s not always easy to be dedicated to your family. Somehow after a hard day’s work dealing with a boss who just doesn’t understand and clients who need it now, you must find the energy and compassion to deal with kids and a spouse who just don’t understand and who need it now. So if you are in the paid labor force you have experience in handling crises. Maybe less than someone home with the kids. There are major differences between home and workplace crises. The major difference is that you probably you love your family, and usually don’t love your co-workers, boss, subordinates, and clients. Does that make it easier? Maybe, maybe not. But it does give you extra reason to be dedicated.

Be as dedicated as Fido.

D is for direct. Don’t beat around the bush. Be direct. People will appreciate you for getting to the point. If you are upset about your child’s school performance don’t go on and on about how his or her room makes a pig sty look neat and tidy. Go directly to the point. And once the school performance issue starts to improve… When your kids are little, you may be able to brandish a garbage bag and get results. But with teens (or for that matter pre-teens) that may be a bit too direct.

And now for some of the things you want to avoid.

Benjamin Franklin dabbling as the Greek God Zeus.

D is for dabble. You can dabble in the stock market (let’s hope you don’t), you can dabble in gardening, but you can’t dabble with your family. Take a look at that smiling little bundle of joy. You are going to be stuck dealing with him or her for the rest of your life. Dibs and dabs of attention simply won’t do the job. Those growing pains will only intensify with the years. In our society being a teen-ager doesn’t always stop before twenty. If you are a dabbler maybe you can draw the line at thirty. Good luck.