How a Conversation Needs to be Like Playing a Game of Tennis

Before we launch into how each DISC Style prefers to communicate, there are a couple overarching goals that I want to share.

As you seek to communicate well with your family and friends, or staff and patients, here is an important perspective to consider-

Perhaps a conversation should be more like playing a game of tennis. This practice could revolutionize your relationships!

I believe talking and listening should be like playing a game of tennis:

1. Person #1 asks a question (serves the ball)
2. Then listens as Person #2 answers that question (returns the serve)
3. Person #1 then makes a follow-up comment based on that answer (hits the ball back over the net)
4. Then again listens as Person #2 responds to their comment (hits the ball back again)

If someone always keeps the ball on their side of the net by talking constantly without letting the other person get a word in, that is not a pleasant game of tennis!

Or if someone serves the ball but Person #2 never hits it back or engages in any way, that isn’t a game of tennis either, or a true conversation.

But it is delightful to have a tennis game where you can keep hitting the ball back and forth, back and forth, just like a conversation that includes talking and listening, asking and answering is the best.

Just some things to think about and try out this week as you focus on how people talk and seek to understand them better.

Next week, we will look at one other important overall communication goal before we focus on each DISC Style’s favorite ways to communicate.

Here’s to good tennis game conversations–

Beth