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COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS
How to communicate effectively
"Everything that can be said can be said clearly."
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) Austrian philosopher
Communication is always looked upon as key factor in a person’s overall growth
whether in career, personal or professional relationships. Therefore one of the major
techniques that must be mastered is the art of communicating – understanding
people and being understood by them.
Many people confuse communication with excessive talking. Effective
communication is not excess talking; tt’s actually talking less, saying more.
Breaking the ice - to become an effective communicator, learn to break the ice.
You need to get started with something (even by asking a question) whether be
it in a meeting or a general discussion. You also need to be a good listener if you
want to ask right questions.
Let the words flow - deliver your words like a flow of water. Speak to the point,
be clear and maintain continuity. However you can pause in between to get the
feedback of audience if you’re giving a public speech. Try to make your public
speech interactive by asking questions or launching an on spot quiz. People love
quizzes.
Don’t repeat words - you shouldn’t use same words repeatedly in your speech.
Learn new words and add quality to your speech. It also helps to improve your
written communication as well.
THE THREE COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION
On a daily basis we work with people who have different opinions, values, beliefs,
and needs than our own. Our ability to exchange ideas with others, understand
others' perspectives and solve problems will depend significantly on how
effectively we are able to communicate with others.
Communication involves three components:
1. Verbal Messages - the words we choose
2. Paraverbal Messages - how we say the words
3. Nonverbal Messages - our body language
In order to communicate effectively , these are used to:
1. Send Clear, Concise Messages
2. Receive and Correctly Understand Messages Sent to Us
Verbal Messages
Our use of language has tremendous power in the type of atmosphere that is created
at the problem-solving table. Words that are critical, blaming, judgmental or
accusatory tend to create a resistant and defensive approach that is not helpful
to productive problem solving. On the other hand, we can choose words that
normalize the issues and problems and reduce resistence:
Phrases such as "in some districts, people may . . .", "it is not uncommon for . . ."
Sending effective messages requires that we state our point of view as briefly
as possible. Listening to a rambling, unorganized speaker is tedious and
discouraging - why continue to listen when there is no interchange?
This is your opportunity to help the listener understand YOUR perspective and point
of view. Choose your words with the intent of making your message as clear as
possible, avoiding jargon and unnecessary information.
Effective Verbal Messages:
1. Are brief and organized
2. Are free of jargon
3. Do not create resistance in the listener
Nonverbal Messages
The power of nonverbal communication cannot be underestimated.
You cannot not communicate!!!
Nonverbal messages are the primary way that we communicate emotions:
Facial Expression: The face is perhaps the most important conveyor of emotional
information. A face can light up with enthusiasm, energy, and approval, express
confusion or boredom, or displeasure. The eyes are particularly expressive in joy,
sadness, anger, or confusion.
Postures and Gestures: Our body postures can create a feeling of warm openness
or cold rejection. For example, when someone faces us, sitting quietly with hands
loosely folded in the lap, a feeling of anticipation and interest is created. A posture of
arms crossed on the chest portrays a feeling of inflexibility.
Account for about 55% of what is perceived and understood by others.
Paraverbal Messages
Paraverbal communication refers to the messages that we transmit through the tone,
pitch, and pacing of our voices. It is how we say something, not what we say. The
paraverbal message accounts for approximately 38% of what is communicated to
someone. A sentence can convey entirely different meanings depending on the
emphasis on words and the tone of voice.
For example, the statement, "I didn't say you were stupid" has six different meanings,
depending on which word is emphasized.
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when we are angry or excited, our speech tends to become more rapid and higher
pitched
when we are bored or feeling down, our speech tends to slow and take on a
monotone quality
when we are feeling defensive, our speech is often abrupt
The Importance of Consistency
In all of our communications we want to send consistent verbal, paraverbal and
nonverbal messages. When our messages are inconsistent, the listener may become
confused. Inconsistency can also create a lack of trust and undermine the chance to
build a good working relationship.
Consider the example of someone, through a clenched jaw, hard eyes, and steely
voice, telling you they're not mad. Which are you likely to believe? What you see or
what you hear?
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