So much of our communication is transactional — a word here, a sentence there — that we forget that at its essence, communications is relational. It sounds simple, but in reality there is nothing simple about communicating, especially when emotions are involved, says Peter Bregman.
Source: Harvard Business Review, May 6, 2016.
The problem with most communication is that it’s easy. Anyone can thoughtlessly type out a 20-second text or a three-sentence email. But communication is a direct line into a complex web of emotion that explodes easily. Bregman shares 4 questions to answer before communicating.
- What outcome do I want?
- What should I communicate to achieve that outcome?
- How should I communicate to achieve that outcome?
- When should I communicate to achieve that outcome?