Responsible Communication – Principle Two of Interpersonal Wellness

Last week we looked at balance as the first principle of Interpersonal Wellness. We saw balance as being necessary to keep us grounded and focused. Balance as a foundation from which we stay grounded. We also confirmed that principles are life laws that when disregarded lead to consequences either good or bad. This week we will focus on principle number two which is Responsible Communication.

As we know, communication is one of the most vital skills we have as humans. It is imperative that we use such an important skill responsibly. When we fail to practice responsible communication, we are faced with serious consequences such as break down of marriage, work, friendships and community relationships.

Responsible Communication is important for us to function well in groups and relationships. This requires us to be aware of our social settings and the appropriate communication for that setting. It means we will make every effort to communicate in a manner that is respectful, hospitable and clear, even when we don’t feel like it. In addition to this, we will assume the responsibility to repair any harm that has been caused by our communication. This will ensure that we maintain a good measure of social wellness.

The next time you think about responsible communication I would suggest that you think with clarity and intention as well as think of how you can ensure you are understood and received positively. If things go wrong, remember it is your responsibility to explain yourself, listen to the other persons point of view and apologize for the misunderstanding. It goes a long way to making people feel better and for ensuring lasting interpersonal wellness.

I would love to hear your stories on how you are practicing responsible communication. Share your experience below.

Interpersonal Wellness Principles

Do you want to improve Interpersonal wellness in your relationships at home or at work? Have you examined the principles that you are adhering to? Often a look at the principles that govern a particular phenomenon can relay a message that is valuable and perspective changing. In the next few weeks, I would like to invite you to explore eight principles of Interpersonal Wellness and see if perhaps they hold the key to why you are experiencing your relationships the way you do.

Principles

Principles are life laws that when disregarded lead to consequences either good or bad. When we follow the principles of Interpersonal Wellness in our lives, we reap the consequences of professionalism and respectful relationships at home and at work.

These principles are set out to help us do an overhaul of our life and our own capacity to contribute well to our relationships. It will help you understand why you have been taking some of the negative and unprofessional actions that you take from time to time and will help you better equip yourself to deal with challenging situations. Sometimes the way we respond to a provocation is awareness raising and meant for us to look at our response and why we chose to respond in a certain way. Often when I intervene in disrespectful incidents, coach individuals for unprofessional conduct or infractions, they often tell me a similar story – “the other person provoked me”. “If only he had not bothered me, had done his job, did not come into my space, wasn’t so whiney” etc. I often ask them whether they think they had a choice in their response. One of my favourite quotes from Dr. Stephen Covey is “between stimulus and response, there is a pause“. I like this quote as it reminds us that we do have a choice to make, no matter the provocation. The principles outline below will help us make choices that are more in keeping with our values and reduce the times when we find ourselves being pulled like a puppet on a string-reacting negatively to whatever stimulus that comes our way. By following these principles we respond according to our values rather than contrary to our values. This way we will find ourselves more often pleased with the way we handled a situation, rather than upset and disappointed with the way we responded to something that our client, employer or co-worker said or did.

So let’s get ready to examine these principles and how we can apply them to our lives in order to improve our professionalism and the wellness of our work or learning environment.

Principle one is Balance – without balance things and people fall and crash. As individuals we gain balance by connecting with core values we believe in and want manifested in our lives, and by having a vision of who we want to be and how we want others to experience us. We do this by connecting to our spiritual side, that indescribable place inside all of us that is the centre of beliefs, self-esteem and where our true essence or personal style comes from.