(Knowledge Resource) 21 Ways To Improve Your Communication Skills In Recovery To Build a Network and Stay Maintain Sobriety

Listen Actively:

Focus On who is talking, avoid all distractions, and try to be as engaged as you can into the person who is speaking. Do not listen with the intent to reply, listen with the intent to understand.

Maintain Eye Contact: 

When you maintain eye contact it shows attention, confidence, and respect during any conversation.

Use Positive Body Language:

Non-verbal cues like posture and gestures show people openness and attentiveness. Your body language speaks more than your words ever will say.

Ask Clarifying Questions:

Make Sure when someone says something you understand the message fully by asking for clarification when needed.

Adapt To Who you are speaking to:

Tailor your message to suit the audience’s level of understanding and interest.

Respect Different Perspectives:

Be Open to other people's opinions, even if they are totally different from yours! We can learn a lot from one another, one all the same.

Be honest and transparent and show appreciation:

Always communicate with integrity and honesty. Acknowledge the other person's contributions and show gratitude.

Practice Patience:

Allow time for others to process your message, and do not rush responses, try and wait 3-5 seconds.

Avoid Any and All Slang/Street Terms:

Use simple, clear language that everyone can understand.

Watch your tone and Volume:

Adjust your tone and voice and volume to match the presence in the room. It is not what you say, it is how you say it.

Be Concise and Clear:

Stick to the point when you speak, avoid unnecessary details. 

Avoid Interrupting:

Allow the other person speaking to finish before you respond.

Be Empathetic & open minded:

Show understanding of the speaker’s feelings and viewpoints to create a deeper connection. Approach conversations with a willingness and learn to adapt.

Practice Emotional Intelligence:

Try your absolute best to be aware and manage your emotions, when dealing with people. Remember you're dealing with people of emotions more times than people of logic.

Use Positive Language:

Manage your communication in a constructive, optimistic way. The more you talk about negative things, the more you call it in. Try to speak of victory and not about losing. 

Give Constructive Feedback:

Offer helpful and specific feedback aimed at improving performance or understanding.

Be open to receive feedback:

Accept feedback gracefully as you can and use it as an opportunity for growth.

Use Non Verbal Cues Effectively:

Facial expressions should match your spoken word (actions speak louder than words)

Develop conflict resolution skills:

Learn to address disagreements constructively without escalating tension. Always be willing to compromise and find a middle ground.

Be Mindful of timing:

Consider when and where to communicate with people for the best impact if you have to preplan a message or something you have to say. Mark twain said the “the right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.

Stay calm when your under pressure:

Try and maintain a calm demeanor during difficult or stressful conversations.