Communication  

Communication is a two way street 

 
Communication is in everything we do. Sometimes it’s verbal and sometimes it’s 
non-verbal. Whether we are communicating with ourselves, our spouse, family, or a stranger, 
the way we communicate can make or break the interaction. It’s important to understand how 
you communicate and how to communicate with those who communicate differently than you.  
 
 
List five strengths about your  List five weaknesses about your 
communication style  communication style 

   
 
 

   
 
 

   
 
 

   
 
 

   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“​You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.” 
-Zig Ziglar, author 
 
 
 
 Communication looks different to everybody. Stepping back during a heated situation 
and thinking about how the other person may perceive me in that moment has helped me 
tremendously. Below, think about a few times in your life that could have gone better with 
better communication.  
 
 
Event in your life  How you handled it   How you will handle it next 
time 

     
 
 

     
 
 

     
 
 
 
 
Speaker Listener Technique  
What is the speaker listener technique? The speaker listener technique is all about knowing 
when to speak and knowing when to listen. For this situation we’ll use this example: Partner A 
is late picking up partner B for dinner and partner B is very upset. Using the speaker listener 
technique, this is what the conversation will look like: 
 
Partner B​-I feel upset that you were late. We had a plan and I don’t understand why you were 
late  
Partner A​- So you feel upset that I was late although we had a plan. I understand why you would 
be frustrated and I was late because ______ 
Partner B​-I understand things come up, so maybe we could try communicating more if this 
happens again. Let’s go eat dinner! I can’t wait  
 
Although it may feel unnatural at first, letting the speaker have the floor without interrupting 
can do more than you would expect. By paraphrasing what the other person said it makes them 
feel heard and understood. The most important part of this technique is listening to understand 
instead of listening to hear. Focus on the speaker's message and try not to rebut.