Zainab Aderounmu 
It’s the end of the year, which means it’s reflection season. You’re planning your retreats, get-togethers, end-of-the-year parties and most importantly, vision boarding soirées to take stock of the year and decide what needs to go. In that process, here are 5 communication habits you need to stop in 2026.
First, “why communication?”, you may ask. It’s the way people experience beyond your aura. Through communication, you either confirm or debunk other people’s assumptions of you. Imagine you’re meeting someone for the first time who already perceives you to be snobby, only for your first words to confirm their assumptions. If it’s not intentional, then pay attention to the next paragraphs.
Giving back-handed compliments: Compliments are a great conversation starter and ice breaker. People naturally assume you’re a kind person if you give them a compliment, but they’re also supposed to be generous, not pinched. Don’t give compliments that sound like insults on a second thought. The recipient shouldn’t wonder whether to say thank you or be offended. For example, “you’re smarter than you look” Or “you handled that better than I expected” Those aren’t compliments, they’re a projection of your doubts on the other person. When you give compliments, remember to be kind and abundant; they should be a generous expression of your admiration.
Calling people more than twice: Again, in interpersonal communication, it’s unsavory to call anyone more than two times, unless it’s an emergency. Multiple calls signal emergencies and could put the recipient in a state of paranoia; imagine them finding out you only wanted to ask a question that could have waited. When you call twice and they’re unable to respond, it’s probably because they’re actually unable to respond, which would be remedied once they can. Please don’t give anyone a heart attack in the New Year.
Apologising before your speech: This absolutely compromises your authority and ‘perceived’ expertise. I say perceived because your unwarranted apologies now cast doubts on your capacity. Unless you arrived late, there’s no need to draw attention to what the audience wouldn’t ordinarily notice. Don’t apologise for your ‘croaky voice’ or your ‘puffy eyes’ or your ‘many papers’, because they probably didn’t notice. However, the moment you mentioned it, it’s all they’ll focus on; how your ‘k’ sounds like an ‘f’ and how your eyes are truly swollen. Not only does it cast shadows of doubt on your believability but it also distracts your audience.
Mentioning a change in body size: This ought to be a no-brainer, but I’ve seen it play out too many times to gloss over it. If you’re seeing someone for the first time after a while and they look different, don’t mention it (unless you have enough relationship grounds for that). Don’t say ‘you’ve grown fat’ or ‘why are you losing so much weight’ or ‘you look small’. It’s a bit of body shaming, and offensive in interpersonal communication.
Listening only to respond: I once had a conversation with the Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the first thing that struck me was how attentively he listened. He wasn’t listening superficially just to respond, but truly paying attention to my words and how I was saying them. Little wonder the first thing he did was to compliment my communication skills before he went on to respond to my submission. When you listen only to respond, effective communication will be truncated, because the essence of communication is to understand, and it requires paying attention not only to what is said but also to how it is said. When you listen to understand, you catch nuances in the interlocutor’s speech: their pain points, what actually motivates them and their goal. They may not have said it, but you can infer because you paid attention. When people know that you’re listening to them, they open up more because they know you respect them.
As a bonus, speaking at a fast pace: When you speak too fast, you’re also compromising your authority because people assume you’re either nervous or unsure of what you’re saying. A measured pace forces people to listen and even respect the speaker; it signals that they’re at ease and confident in their topic.
Happy New Year in advance!
Zainab ADEROUNMU A. W. is a First Class graduate of English Language and the Overall Best Graduating Student from the Lagos State University, Lagos Nigeria. She’s a professional Master of Ceremonies, known as The Hijabi Compere , a public speaking coach and Communications Professional. She is currently a Youth advisor to the European Union where she doubles as the Spokesperson and Head of Communications & PR for the Youth Sounding Board.