Interpersonal Communication Skills - F 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.

F is for fair. Be fair. Did you ever notice how even young kids have an essential notice of fairness? They may not want to be blamed for something they did, but they absolutely don’t want to be blamed for something that they didn’t do. When you are discussing a family problem don’t exaggerate, don’t make up stuff. Be fair. That’s the starting point. Will you then be able to get others to chance your behavior? Maybe, and maybe not. But at least you will have a fair chance.

Seattle World's Fair, 1962. When the world was young.

F is for fun. Don’t downplay the need for fun. I remember as a child being at my dad’s office party. We already had three soft drinks and wanted another. By the way, three soft drinks were more than a month’s usual ration. The answer was one more, today. And that’s not the new rule. I don’t think I ever had more fun drinking a soft drink. And I never pigged out again, at least not with soft drinks. Obviously hard drinks are a different story. Have your fun with beer, or even better wine. But don’t go over the limit. And if you are the kind of person who can’t or won’t have any alcohol at all, there are lots of other ways to have fun.

Final fling, see the play. Don't fling your life away.

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

F is for fling. Don’t. A fling is just a fling is just a way to destroy many lives. There are obviously some couples that believe in “open relationships.” If you are all OK with that, who am I to say no? But let me remind you that many couples who believe that they are OK with “open relationships” are OK in theory, and devastated in practice. And what about the kids? Let’s not forget that AIDS is still a real problem. Don’t fling your life and your loved ones life in the garbage, remain faithful.