Have you ever found yourself listening to someone, but focusing more on what you want to say next? You find yourself lost in your own thoughts, even thinking on what you will say next instead of paying attention to the other person.

Perhaps your problem is the opposite: you keep everything inside. It would be uncomfortable to bother someone or hurt their feelings. It may be easier for you to avoid conflict when you’re upset if you hide your feelings.

We all make these mistakes from time to time. Either being you not being able to communicate clearly to being inside your head while people are trying to communicate to you. The truth is, these communication errors are so common that we don’t even notice when we commit them. In most cases, they aren’t a big deal. We carry on with the conversation and that’s it. Poor communication, however, can lead to negative consequences. Resentment, frustration, and pain can result from not being heard.

Practice will help you spot common errors and improve your listening and speaking skills. Learning effective communication can improve almost every aspect of your life, even if you don’t have relationship problems. Feeling understood can help you get a better job, improve your relationships, and land a better position. Therapy targeting communication issues can really help you surpass said problems. Working with a specialist opens doors for improvement and, therefore, an improvement in communication skills.

Passive, Assertive and Aggressive communication. What are they?

There are three types of communication: passive, aggressive, and assertive. Everyone has the ability to use all three styles, and everyone uses them at least occasionally. For example, people might act passively with their bosses, and assertively with their partners.

During passive communication, you put other people’s needs and desires before your own. Aggressive communication is exactly the opposite: You are only concerned with your own needs. Although these communication styles can sometimes be useful, they are rarely effective. A healthy balance between passive and aggressive communication is assertiveness. Assertive communication consists of stating your needs clearly and advocating that they are met. However, you must also acknowledge, respect, and acknowledge others’ needs. Compromise is necessary.