What is Formative Communication?
Formative Communication is an evolving and dynamic discipline of paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and intentions so you can communicate more clearly and calmly.
Over time, as you continue to apply this discipline to your own mind and your relationships daily, you discover the art of “becoming while being and being while becoming.”
Instead of focusing only on what to say, Formative Communication teaches you to notice your mindset, emotions and your motivation in any communication.
When you become aware of these things, you can develop into a more steady and thoughtful presence.
Why it is Different
Communication often breaks down not because of the words we use, but because of our own internal reactions that go unnoticed during the exchange.
If you enter a conversation feeling tense, defensive, or focused on winning, those feelings will come to the surface in subtle, but noticeable ways.
You may think these private motivations and reactions are not noticeable to the other person and you can hide them, but it is likely they have picked up on those cues.
Formative Communication trains and teaches you to catch those reactions inside yourself early, so you can respond in a way that builds understanding and trust rather than conflict.
What Formative Communication Looks Like in Practice
You learn to:
pause and notice what you are feeling before, during and after an interaction
understand what is driving your internal reactions and private motivations
speak clearly without overreacting to another person’s volatile emotional state
listen to another person without losing your point of view
stop trying to control how others respond to you
take responsibility for your part in the conversation.