Write an article based on this "Ask questions. Choose the best way to express your feelings. Affirm the positive when offering criticism. Avoid platitudes and cliches. Use body language to communicate respect."
Asking questions is a great way to learn more about the perspective of the other person. Questions will also allow the person to indirectly know that you value his thoughts and feelings. Being open to whatever the person might have to say is a sign of compassionate communication. Make sure your questions are open-ended, allowing the person to choose how to respond. Leading questions, or questions that are attempting to persuade someone else of the correctness of your own point of view, don't show respect for the other person's feelings. If you ask questions that can be answered with yes or no, make sure you allow the person time to provide additional clarification if he chooses. It's vital that you have a way to express your emotions, but in order to be sensitive to another person's feelings you may have to take care in how you do this. Sticking to statements that start with "I" will help you say what you're feeling without appearing to blame another person. For example, "I'm feeling sad about what you just said, because it reminds me of an experience I had in high school" will be kinder than "You're wrong, because when I was in high school, this happened to me." If you're expressing empathy with the other person in the conversation, chances are he'll be able to respond to your feelings with empathy as well. When offering feedback, make sure to offset any negative criticism with an equal or greater affirmation of what you find the person doing well. Be very free to find areas that you feel you can genuinely appreciate, and be sparing (but direct) with any criticism. Being sensitive to someone's feelings doesn't mean pretending to be someone you're not. However, before you offer your opinion or ideas about another person's experience, always check and make sure that the person wants your honest opinion. Focusing your feedback on the person's actions, rather than who she is as a person, may help prevent hurt feelings. If a person is going through a hard time, try not to say things like "Everything happens for a reason," or "I know exactly how you feel." Your intentions may be good, but telling someone that his bad experience may be "a blessing in disguise" is insensitive to your friend's feelings. Instead, acknowledge the person's feelings. Some variation of "I'm sorry this happened," is likely to be met with appreciation, as are statements like "What you're going through sounds really hard." It's okay to let him know that you don't know what his experience is like. If you've been through something similar, acknowledge that what he's going through may be different from your own. Your nonverbal communication may be even more important to another person's interpretation of your message than your words. While the particulars of body language will vary by culture, in general the following are suggested as a way to communicate respect: Making frequent eye contact while you speak. This will allow another person to realize that you're sincerely attempting honest communication. However, eye contact shouldn't be sustained for long periods of time, or it may be interpreted as aggression. Direct your body towards the other person as you talk. Intermittent, light touches on the person's outer arm may communicate friendliness and support. More sustained pressure may not be welcome, or may feel either aggressive or flirtatious. It can be a good idea to ask someone if it's okay before offering even a light touch. Then, respect the person's response. Keep your arms uncrossed and relaxed. Make sure your facial muscles are relaxed, and smile if this comes easily to you.