Communication as a Muscle: How to Build Strength in Everyday Conversations

Why Communication Weakens When We Don’t Use It

Communication is often compared to a skill, but at Brielle Consulting Group, we’ve found a more accurate metaphor: it’s a muscle. Like any muscle, if you don’t use it, it weakens. And when challenges arise, you may find yourself too unprepared to lift the “heavier weights” of hard conversations.

Avoidance is like skipping your workouts. You avoid the uncomfortable effort, but the long-term result is fragility. You may find yourself stumbling through conversations that could have been easier if you had practiced the habit of speaking up early and often.

Silence creates weakness, but intentional practice creates strength.

Training Your Communication Muscle Daily

So how do you strengthen this “muscle”? It’s not about having monumental conversations every day. It’s about building habits that normalize openness, clarity, and kindness.

Start small. Ask for what you need, even if it feels trivial. Practice saying “no” in low-stakes situations. Express appreciation out loud rather than assuming others know. These small “reps” of communication build resilience for larger, more emotionally loaded conversations.

The research on habit formation aligns with this approach. The more often you exercise a skill, the more natural it becomes. At Brielle Consulting Group, we teach leaders and teams to view everyday communication as something to practice consistently — just like exercise, meditation, or healthy eating. The more you engage in it, the stronger and more confident you become.

Long-Term Benefits of Strong Communication

The long-term payoff of this practice is enormous. At work, strong communication reduces conflicts, boosts engagement, and increases productivity. Leaders who communicate clearly create psychological safety — an environment where teams feel empowered to contribute honestly.

At home, communication prevents the buildup of resentment. Partners and families who voice their needs early experience deeper connection and less strain.

Ultimately, a strong communication muscle supports resilience. When life throws challenges your way — as it inevitably does — your ability to speak up becomes the tool that carries you through.

- Brielle Consulting Group