Talking is easy. Communicating… that’s another story. PSC 16
You talk. They listen. But did they really understand? Were they moved? Or just exposed to a flood of information?
Communication is often mistaken for the act of speaking.
Yet
PSC 16 – Communicating effectively teaches us that the impact of a message doesn’t depend on the
intention but on the
reception. And that’s where things get complicated.
Communication is a shared responsibility.
In a world that moves fast, where meetings pile up and notifications compete for attention, we often confuse
transmitting with
connecting.
But communicating isn’t just expressing an idea or giving a directive. It’s building a bridge between two inner worlds — between two rhythms, two filters, two systems of values. And that takes awareness, attention, and adaptation.
To communicate, you must first know yourself.
You can’t adapt your communication if you don’t understand how you function. Your words, your tone, your gaze, your rhythm — all of it speaks for you.
• Are you someone who gets straight to the point?
• Do you prefer exploring feelings before reaching a conclusion?
• In conversation, is your main need to be
heard… or to be
right?
Knowing your behavioral preferences is key. Tools like DiSC, the “saboteurs,” or communication style profiles can help you see your patterns and their impact, so you can fine-tune your communication channel.
Then, you must learn to read the other person.
What you say isn’t always what the other person hears. And what they hear isn’t always what you meant.
Effective communication is a dance. It involves intention, emotion, message, and adaptation.
In my adaptation of Deci & Ryan’s self-determination theory, the key psychological needs are:
•
Autonomy (I feel free to choose),
•
Competence (I feel capable),
•
Connection (I feel linked to others),
•
Recognition (I feel seen and heard).
Communication that honors these needs strengthens motivation, cooperation, and trust.
It’s the small things that make a big difference.
Sometimes you need to rephrase.
Sometimes you need to stay silent.
Sometimes you need to write instead of speak.
And sometimes you just need to ask a question instead of giving an answer.
Communicating effectively means making a conscious choice — not to manipulate, but to co-create.
🎯 Micro-action of the day:
Take a few minutes to reflect on an upcoming conversation within the next 48 hours.
Can you adapt your communication style to the person you’ll be speaking with?
Not to please them, but to make sure your message lands, the connection builds, and cooperation lasts.
Ask yourself these 3 questions:
- What’s my goal in this conversation?
- Who is this person — and what do they need to move forward?
- How can I adapt to them without betraying myself?
PSC 16 invites you to turn each conversation into a space of co-creation. Because talking is easy. But communicating… is building together.
And in a connected world, that makes all the difference between merely enduring and truly collaborating.
Available if you want to go further,
Krumma
