Category: Uncategorized

Communication & Empathy

Your communication style is important to think about when you are building and keeping social supports.

Other people’s communication styles may differ from yours. Their experiences, goals, and views of the world may be different as well.

Building relationships is about allowing others the space to be themselves without expecting them to have your same values and point of view. It’s also about expecting them to allow you space to be yourself.

Resources

Communication Self-Assessment

• Communication Self-Assessment (.docx)

Videos

• Article: 68 Killer Conversation Starters So You Can Start A Conversation With Anyone, Anytime
• Video: How to Talk to Anyone with Ease and Confidence
• Video: Active Listening: If You Aren’t Listening, You Aren’t Communicating
• Video: Active Listening

Understanding Social Context

Building relationships as an adult can be challenging. Meeting new people may make you anxious or uncomfortable. That’s okay!

It’s natural to feel uncomfortable when meeting new people, but remember, the other person probably feels awkward, too.

Meeting new people is the first step in building and forming relationships with others.

Skills for Relationship Building

It’s important to consider your communication style and strategies for building relationships.

It takes more than just communication to build relationships. Relationships are often built on shared interests.

Asking questions can help you uncover shared interests or things you have in common with others. Exploring shared interests and asking good questions starts with a first impression.