Would you like to improve your communication with other people? Maybe you want to improve your relationship with an employee, a friend or a spouse. Or perhaps you’re having trouble communicating with a teenager.

Well, today’s wisdom on this subject comes from Louise Penney’s Chief Inspector Gamache mystery novels series. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec is a very astute observer of people’s behavior. He claims that if you can say these four phrases when needed, you will improve your communication and your relationships.

Only four phrases? Well, that should be easy, shouldn’t it?

Can you say:
• “I am sorry.” (And genuinely mean it.)
• “I made a mistake.”
• “I don’t know.”
• “I need your help.”

Oh . . .well, maybe some of them aren’t so easy. But just think how much more open, honest and loving your relationships would be if you could master these humble statements and become a caring communicator. Try them and see!