subject: Effective Communication Exercises [print this page] Do you struggle to express yourself in a calm and collected manner? While there are some silver-tongued individuals in the world, communication is not something that comes naturally to all people. Instead of continuing on the same path of frustration, consider trying a few communication exercises. These are designed to help the participants to improve their skills in the area of speaking and listening. Below are a few common exercises that are used to enhance the team mentality on the job.
Most people have played the game Telephone. It is very popular for teachers to use this exercise to show school-aged children the harm of gossip and not listening. It is also very useful for both families and coworkers. Choose a phrase and whisper it in one persons ear. Then they whisper it to someone and they whisper it to someone, so on and so forth. Once everyone has heard the phrase, each person writes down what they heard. The groups then examine how much the phrased changed as it passed from person to person. The participants can learn how important it is to go to the source for information instead of relying on third parties.
If you are interested in opening the lines of communication between you and spouse, child, or another loved one, the next exercise may come in handy. Using the sentence structure When you___, I feel___, each person fills in the blank. This can help start a conversation. It is important, however, to keep focused on the emotions involved and not pointing blame or trying to change behaviors. For example, the sentence When you do not respond, I feel like I do not matter this sentence should lead to communicating with your partner their important and vital part in your life. Be wary of being controlling or negative. Communication exercises are meant to help both parties emotionally.
One exercise that helps with both nonverbal communication and team-building is Four Up. For this activity, strict rules must be followed. Every participant needs a chair. The game is called Four Up, because four people must always be standing and only four people. Each person can stand for 10 seconds. No talking is allowed. This exercise usually last about 10 minutes, but it varies depending on how long the group takes to find a solution. The point of this activity is to show the group that you can cooperate with others even without talking. Another benefit is that the leaders and followers are on even ground since everyone one has the same rules. This will give quieter individuals a chance to shine.
If you are interested in learning additional communication exercises and improving your skills, consider taking a communication seminar. These workshops are designed to help people to enhance the effectiveness of both their verbal and nonverbal communication. Many companies offer communication seminars; there are even some that can be taken online. Upon completion of these courses, you will see a vast improvement in your relationships in and out of the workplace.
