It is common to feel confused or frustrated when a conversation does not go to plan. You experience a threat to the expectation you had for the conversation, which can cause annoyance. You might be left thinking 'What is he getting annoyed for? All I wanted was a second opinion on my idea - what happened?!'

So, what causes this mismatch of expectations? You are not connecting with each other because you are each involved in a different style of communication. This can lead to conversations spiralling and becoming unproductive, or even combative.

Understanding and clarifying communication styles can aid connection and productivity.