A Spring Cleaning for Your Communication: 3 Simple Shifts to Improve How You're Heard
Spring isn’t just for closets and junk drawers. It’s also the perfect time to reset the way you communicate, especially if you’ve gotten feedback that your messages aren’t landing the way you intended.
You don’t need a full personality makeover to become a more effective communicator. Small shifts in how you listen, pause, and choose your words can dramatically change how others experience you and receive your message.
Here are 3 communication behaviors you can try on this season, starting today.
1. Use Accurate, Specific Vocabulary, not Fuzzy, Vague Language
Words like “bunch”, “stuff”, “thing”, “this”, “that”, “them”, “very”, “really”, “lots”, “few”, “pretty”, (and MANY more) are vague words that don’t clearly spell out your message.
Using vague language is a bad habit that can be broken. First catch yourself using a repetitive word that doesn’t carry meaning, like “thing.” Then figure out what word would be more accurate and use that. Using the accurate, specific term will get your message across in fewer words and will leave no doubt about your meaning.
Try this:
Instead of saying, “I think we should do something about the thing we spoke about.”
try: “Let’s take action on the upcoming deadline we spoke about last week.”
Clear. Direct. Concise. Heard.
2. Listen to Understand, not to Respond
Let’s be honest: Many of us are guilty of thinking about how we want to respond before the other person has finished speaking.
The problem? You miss part of what has been said. Sometimes, big things. Often, subtle things.
The points you didn’t hear can make the difference between a thoughtful, connected response and a half-baked reaction that doesn’t contribute to the conversation.
Try this:
Let them finish. Take a Breath. Then respond to all of it.
You’ll know all of what they actually said, and your reply will be sharper and more aligned.
3. Pause More Often (and Longer) than You Think You Need to
A well-timed pause is not just for impact. It’s also for clarity.
Slowing down by pausing keeps your ideas distinct and separate. It cuts down on your listener’s cognitive load by helping them understand where one idea stops and another begins.
It also gives your audience time to process what you’ve said.
Pauses are often read as confidence. Speaking too quickly is often interpreted as nerves.
Try this:
At the end of each sentence, pause for a count of 1. If you’ve communicated a major idea, pause for a count of 2-3. Let your idea land before moving on.
It might feel strange at first, but you’ll be surprised at how much more engaged your audience is and how much more they retain.
Bottom line?
Small tweaks in the way you communicate can have a big impact on the way you are perceived and heard.
Communicating clearly always pays off.
🧭 Want help getting rid of habits that muddy your message?
Let’s talk about how personalized coaching can help you speak with more clarity, confidence, and presence in the moments that matter to you.
