28 April 2008
The Art Of Effective Communication
Posted by tom under: Life And Work .
It is often said that ommunication is the key element in a successful relationship. I would go further and suggest that communication is the key to a successful life. All of us communicate every single day. We talk with our partners, neighbors, local businesses, we resolve disputes, write business letters, personal greetings and make the occasional speech. If we can communicate our ideas well we are probably making use of techniques for effective communication which we employ without realizing it. Here are a handfull of proven techniques for effective communication which may help improve your communication skills.
Clarity. If you are not clear in your message then you will leave your audience confused. Present your ideas simply and clearly. Don’t complicate issues. Whether you’re writing an essay or having a verbal conversation with your neighbor, you must practice clarity. Increasing your vocabulary may help but not to the point that you use words that most listeners wouldn’t understand.. Let’s say you wish to compliment your neighbor on her new hair style. “That looks good”, is not quite clear. Your neighbor may even be insulted, thinking her old style must have been terrible to evoke your remark. “I love that subtle color. It looks great with your complexion!”, is much better. You’ve made it clear what it is you like and why.
When you have to convey more complex messages try to use an organized and logical approach. This technique for effective communication could be put to work like this… Let’s say you’re meeting with your boss to discuss a proposed project. You should not arrive at the meeting unprepared. Take the time to sit down and order your material in a written format. You wouldn’t begin with telling him how one of your objectives should be met. You first want to state the problem which justifies the project. Then you might go into a step-by-step itemization of the objectives, how each will be met and the time required to implement each objective. You might conclude with any open issues. Your boss will surely appreciate the clarity, organization and logic of your presentation.
It is sometimes said that brevity is the soul of wit. When you’re writing personal letters, you might go on for pages, with all the latest family news. However, when you’ve got a list of questions to ask your physician, you want to be concise, accurate and to the point. Just like this point has been.
One of the most important principles of communication is to understand that the message is what is important. It’s not all about you. This is one of the most common errors people make when communicating. They get so involved with their own point of view that the other person feels completely left out and stops listening or reading. If you’re chatting with your neighbor and the conversation consists of what you’re doing, thinking and feeling, your communication is one-sided and self-serving.
Our final point is an important one. Communication is not a one-way street. When you study techniques for effective communication and the best communicators you will see thatthey respond to their audience. Always keep in mind that communication should result in an exchange of ideas where everyone learns. You, of course, wish to persuade the other party to your point of view. However, you must leave the door open to alternate perspectives. Respond to their doubts and uncertanties. Reassure where needed. Bring them along with you rather than forcing your thoughts on them. In this way, everyone benefits.
So, to summurise - You should present your information clearly, in a logical way and in an organized format. When appropriate, be concise. Be willing to be open to other ideas. If you use these techniques and I think you may see your communication skills improve dramatically.