Effective communication is the art of successfully delivering your message.
- Though most people talk, few actually listen – and even fewer have the ability to express themselves effectively so that others can understand them, completely and correctly.
Almost all communication is the same, irrespective of the medium. It always involves two people, the sender and the receiver.
- In order to be successful, the receiver must understand the message in the way that the sender intended.
- So before you even begin speaking, you must first determine what it is that you wish to say and why.
- Make sure your message is clear and concise.
- If it’s too lengthy, disorganized, or contains errors, then chances are, it will be misunderstood.
- If it doesn’t match your message, others are likely to misinterpret it.
You need to determine the most appropriate and effective medium for your message.
- The advent of technology – including the Internet and social media – has enhanced the available alternative exponentially.
- Every medium has its advantages and disadvantages, and should be carefully selected.
The last thing to do is to try to gain an understanding of the recipient’s culture, background, and level of knowledge.
- Every piece of information will allow you to tailor your message accordingly.
- Remember that effective communication is the art of mastering words, tone, and body language.
A key element in business negotiation is to favorable influence a decision.
- You have to completely understand where the other party is coming from.
- And that’s so important in our personal lives as well.
For a parent or spouse to truly receive a message, they must stop preparing for what they are going to say next and focus on what the other party is verbally and nonverbally communicating.
- Words often fail to match the nonverbal signals.
- There are times when we think we hear someone, but we don’t completely listen to what they’re saying.
The most difficult negotiations frequently take place in our personal lives – especially with those we love the most. Emotions – both positive and negative ones – play such an essential role in communication.
- When our approach is positive, we have more confidence and are more apt to cooperate.
- This increases the chances that all parties will reach a mutually agreeable solution.
- On the other hand, a negative, self-centered approach has just the opposite effect – making us more competitive and less cooperative.
Since we spend almost our entire day communicating, negotiating, and making decisions, it’s the one skill that needs the most work. When in doubt, it’s often a good idea to ask the person with whom you’re interacting what kind of massage they received.
Re-source: Remember
Each parcel of words we deliver is accompanied by a nonverbal message that provides insight into the spoken meaning. Skilled communicators understand how critical both verbal and nonverbal exchanges are, and frequently display the following characteristics:
- They’re skilled at both listening to and actually hearing other people, an taking time to comprehend the details in their message.
- They are interested in advancing the discussion beyond just a series of shared monologues and into a true dialogue.
- They realize that taking a positive approach can make others feel more confident, and in turn, more likely to cooperate.
Be an active listener by giving and receiving quality feedback.
- This necessitates thinking before speaking and crafting a reply that addresses the speaker’s position and not just your own.
- It requires that you wait, formulate, and be clear.
- Without candid feedback, you have no real way of letting people know how effectively they’re accomplishing what they’ve set out to do – or how they affect you.
Empathize with the other person’s point of view when you’re delivering your message, and make a genuine attempt to hear what he or she is saying.
Becoming a fruitful communicator requires keeping focus on all four sources of communication:
- Improve verbal communication by concentrating on “hearing” what the other person is attempting to say, and not on your own ideas; listen and respond to their message.
- Ensure that your nonverbal communications – such as gestures, mannerisms, posture, facial expressions, and eye contact – matches your verbal message.
- Good written communication must focus on the axiom that “least is best.” Be precise, grammatically correct, clear, and concise – especially when using electronic forms of exchange.
- Effective visual communication involves using photography, signs, symbols, and so forth, that do not confuse your verbal and written message.
Remember, communicating is only effective if both the sender and receiver understand the same information.
craving and resource from “Surviving Your Serengeti” by Stefan Swanepoel
