In my last post,  Silence: A Relationship Killer, we explored the ruinous consequences that intentional silence has on relationships. Silence is antithetical to healthy communicating. Very often people may resort to silence because they anticipate that what they need to say will fall on deaf ears or, worse still, invite an angry reaction. Anticipating that roadblock, we may choose silence. There is a better way, however. Let's look at how we can navigate these sensitive communications successfully.

When we initiate a challenging discussion, it's more than likely that the other party may not truly be listening. Their negative reaction may be triggered by specific words or topics, our tone, or body language, but it is most likely anchored in the memory of past impasses and unresolved conflicts. More often than not, the other person appears to be defending their territory and preparing their rebuttal while we're still trying to articulate our thoughts, and vice-versa of course. Your sentence may not be complete before the other person's reaction has begun. The futility of not being heard becomes a primary reason why people may default to silence.