- Giving someone unsolicited advice: When a friend is struggling with time management and you notice they’re overwhelmed, you might offer tips on prioritizing tasks—even if they didn’t ask—because you’ve been through the same thing and want to help.
- Asking someone to stop doing something: If a coworker is playing loud music in a shared office space and it’s distracting others, you politely ask them to lower the volume or use headphones so everyone can focus.
- Giving constructive feedback: After reviewing a team member’s project draft, you point out specific areas for improvement—like tightening the conclusion—and suggest resources to strengthen their writing without criticizing their effort.
- Telling your spouse they have hurt you: When your partner forgot an important anniversary and you feel neglected, you calmly say, “I felt really sad when we missed our anniversary because it meant a lot to me,” to express your feelings without blame.
- Giving someone credit for something: In a group presentation, you explicitly mention your teammate’s contribution during the Q&A session: “This data visualization was created by Sam—it really helped clarify our findings.”
- Disagreeing with someone’s idea: During a meeting, you respectfully say, “I see the value in your approach, but I’m concerned about the timeline. What if we adjusted the phases to allow more testing?” to voice dissent while staying collaborative.
- Asking someone how they are feeling: When a colleague seems withdrawn after a tough week, you pull them aside and gently ask, “You’ve seemed quiet lately—is everything okay? I’m here if you want to talk.”
- Speaking calmly when you are angry: After a customer yells at you over a misunderstanding, you take a breath and respond, “I understand you’re frustrated, and I’m going to fix this right away,” keeping your tone steady to de-escalate the situation.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of verbal communication worksheet.
