Communication 102a – Winning is Losing
Posted: February 17, 2012 Filed under: Parenting, Thoughts Leave a comment »So the other night, my Wonderful Wife and I engaged in 
some intense fellowship, which, in case you were wondering, is shorthand for arguing – and it’s even less fun than you might have imagined.
Now, before you start feeling sorry for me, I have to let you know I can usually hold my own with her – but I have to stay on my toes. The problem is, sometimes I win – and that is worse.
“This is hard – very hard.”
A long time ago, long before entering the world of marital bliss, I read an article about conflict in relationships. The article was directed towards men and suggested that the best way to win, was to lose.
This is hard – very hard. For me, for most men, and for men in general. Actually, for almost anyone with a competitive nature, we tend not to back down – especially when we know we are right.
Communication 102 – Confronting to Discover Peace
Posted: February 16, 2012 Filed under: questions, Thoughts Leave a comment »I don’t have a problem with confrontation, as long as it has a purpose.
credit: Flicker
Discovering truth, building community, or resolving broken relationships – these are things worth fighting for. Arguing about who drives the best brand of car, or whose sports team is the worth rooting for, well, that’s just dumb. At least in my opinion.
“It’s amazing though, how quickly people will bail when a conversation grows tense.”
Communication 101 – 10 Crucial Practices
Posted: February 13, 2012 Filed under: Parenting, Thoughts Leave a comment »
I remember a long time ago and being in a conversation that just made me squirm. Oh it was painful. I kept interrupting, interjecting, and trying to explain what was happening. My friend, a close friend, grew annoyed at my interjections. It made her mad. I was confused. I thought she loved me, I thought she cared, I just couldn’t understand why she was beating me up with all these words of complaint.
A few years later I took a communications class sponsored by my employer. It wasn’t a required class, but it was offered as a service to help us be happier, healthier employees. I learned much, but because I wasn’t in a relationship at the time, I didn’t have a way to practice these new found skills. But I did try applying them in other situations – with my Mom, friends, coworkers, etc.
Find Me!