Chapter 8 - Communicating Verbally

 Communicating Verbally 

Verbal Communication - "The exchange of spoken or written language with others during interactions" (Chapter 8. Pg. 203)

Verbal communication is an important part of communicating with others. The better we verbally communicate the more relationships we build and the more likely we will communicate effectively. That's why I believe being clear in our communication is one of the most important qualities of good verbal communication. 

 The clarity with which you communicate allows you to better portray what you mean and leaves less room for confusion or interpretation. This doesn't mean being brutally blunt or downright disrespectful though, you can communicate with clarity but still, be respectful and take others' emotions into account while communicating. 

Over the years of communicating with others, I have not been the clearest with what I am saying verbally, often times I would beat around the bush or outright avoid explaining what I meant clearly. No surprise my lack of clarity caught up to me, one of my best friends' mom tragically passed away. In the least disrespectful way possible, she was not the best influence when it came to using substances. So my friends' views on them differ from mine, we were talking about them and he said he was trying to find a way through life to be able to smoke daily and all day. I was trying to be a good friend and persuade him instead of focusing his life around smoking, he should find a way that he can work and still be able to smoke in his free time.

I thought he would respond in a different way than he did, but he said "well, my mom would find a way that she would be able to not only smoke all day but also work a great job". Without any thought on the way I should word my response, I said " just because your mom could and would find a way too, that doesn't mean you should." In my head, I thought I was giving him good advice but I wasn't clear on the fact that I wasn't trying to disrespect his mom. I should've been clearer about how I was just trying to say there are better routes to take than trying to formulate yourself, your career, and your life around smoking.

Verbal clarity is very important while communicating with others, the less clarity you give your words the more room there is for confusion and interpretation. This is not a beneficial quality for good interpersonal communication unless it's intentional.