Communication Psychology - with Gerhard Ohrband

We all know what second thoughts feel like. After an important conversation, we start replaying it in our heads. We think about what we could have said better. We regret words that slipped out. We wish we could go back and try again. Second thoughts are usually a sign of insufficient preparation. I don’t mean that you should have memorized a script beforehand—that would never work in the dynamic reality of real-life conversations. The real preparation is different: Which members of my Inner Team should I bring into this situation? Outer Teams First Before we look at the concept of the Inner Team, let’s consider real teams in the outside world. Imagine the following situations. Wouldn’t you prefer to have an additional team member at your side? ·         A bodyguard, when walking through a dangerous neighborhood ·         An interpreter, when traveling in a foreign country ·      ...

The title may sound a little misleading. What follows might be surprising—even unsettling—for some. There are different levels of self-awareness. Many people avoid looking inside altogether. How do I feel? What do I think? Such questions rarely enter their mind. They keep themselves busy, surround themselves with noise, and distract themselves—anything to escape introspection. The next level of awareness is realizing that there is something inside. At this stage, we begin to notice an “inner dialogue.” We believe there is one solid and constant psychic entity called I . Through meditation and self-reflection, we try to connect with this “I” and discover what it really wants. But if you continue this practice, something unexpected happens: you begin to notice that there isn’t just one voice inside. There is a whole plurality . Different parts of you speak up, each with its own role and its own messages. One of the easiest to recognize is the so-called Inner Critic (or Censo...

Have you ever woken up feeling the urgent need to work on your communication skills? Probably not. But have you ever felt the need to improve a significant relationship—whether at home or at work? Chances are, that need pops up at least once a month. Interestingly, these two needs—better communication and better relationships—are deeply linked. The quality of our relationships mirrors the quality of our communication, and vice versa. When we think of honing communication skills, most of us immediately picture public speaking training. And yes, public speaking is notoriously feared. But paradoxically, it's often easier than the unscripted interactions we navigate daily. Here's why: ·         Public speaking offers predictability. ·         You can rehearse what you’ll say. ·         The roles are clearly defined: for that time slot, the stage is yours. ·    ...