Communication shall work effective for those who shall work effectively for it.
Table of Contents
What is Communication?
Communication is basically a process of conveying or sharing information through speech, writing, or some other means. It may also relate to a letter or message containing information or news, as well as the active conveying or exchanging of ideas and feelings.
What is Effective Communication?
Communication is a process of conveying or sharing information through speech, writing, or some other means. It may also relate to a letter or message containing information or news and the active conveying or exchanging of ideas and feelings.
Effective communication is the process of sharing ideas, emotions, knowledge, and information so that the goal or purpose is met to the best of one’s ability.
In its simplest meaning, communication means to communicate one’s thought, ideas, beliefs, etc., through verbal or non-verbal signs, electronic or traditional techniques. Communication has been an important part of life from the stone age itself.
Our ancient race started communicating first by using non-verbal signs and signals to make others understand their thoughts. As time went by, we as human beings developed a sense of speaking and hearing.
In 3,200 BC people of China developed the art of writing and started communicating that way, after this, some of the major inventions involved the invention of alphabets, printing press, penny posts, the telegraph, the telephone, the typewriter, the radio, television, computers in the field of communication.
How to make an Effective Communication?
Effective communication is more than just conveying a certain message to the other person, it is the practical understanding and must carry the potential to make the other person understand the essence and idea behind a message.
Effective communication is deciphering the emotions attached to the information and use it in its most effective and efficient possible manner. It is not just about conveying a message, but it’s about making someone understand the message and where you understand what the other person wants to imply.
It’s a two-way street when it comes to effective communication. Good communicators not only articulate themselves clearly, but they also listen to what others have to say and consider their messages carefully. Successful message delivery is both an art and an ability that requires a lot of practice and experience.
Learning to communicate effectively is a simple method that helps you express yourself while also improving your personal and professional relationships. To put it another way, communication is said to be successful when all parties involved (sender and receiver) attach similar meanings to the message and listen carefully to everything said and done.
Effective Communication at Workplace –
Effective communication at workplace is the epicenter of almost all business goals.
One of the signs of a high-performance culture at a workplace is effective communication. Workplace communication is the process of exchanging knowledge and ideas within a business.
Successful communication, on the other hand, happens when a message is sent and received rightly. Good communication is essential to success and satisfaction in all aspects of life.
There may have been instances of regret which refuses to leave your mind, where you could have grabbed that excellent opportunity, or promotion, or projector would have led a team or could have excelled at a presentation, but due to a less effective conversation or communication, it slipped you away from your goals.
The next part of the article shall help you to identify your problem area and then would try to give you some essentials of effective communication techniques at a workplace.
What has stopped you from having Effective Communication in Workplace?
There may be certain notions and actions that have kept you from having an effective communication at your workplace or in a relationship or even at school level. Some of these are being listed below, your job is to find out what kept you distant from an solid and effective communication and work to overcome it.
• Stress and Overwhelming Emotions –
You’re more likely to misread other people, send ambiguous or off-putting nonverbal messages, and fall into unhealthy knee-jerk action when you’re nervous or emotionally overwhelmed.
You will learn how to easily calm down before continuing a discussion to prevent surfacing emotions and misunderstandings.
• Lacking Focus –
Multitasking makes it impossible to communicate effectively. You’re almost likely to miss nonverbal signals in a conversation if you’re checking your mobile, planning what you’re going to say next, or daydreaming. To communicate effectively, you must remain focused and avoid distractions.
• Inconsistency in Body Language –
Nonverbal communication should support rather than contradict what is being said. If you say one thing and your body language says another, your audience will most likely believe you’re lying. You can’t, for example, say “yes” when shaking your head “no.”
• Negative Body Language –
If you don’t agree with or like what the other person is saying, you may use negative body language like crossing your arms, avoiding eye contact, or tapping your foot to reject the other person’s message.
You don’t need to agree to the other person, but it’s important to avoid sending negative signals in order to interact effectively and avoid putting the other person on the defensive.
Effective Communication Techniques At Workplace –
There are innumerable techniques of bringing an effective communication into action, but the below enlisted are some of the most conducive ones for an confident and effective communication.
• Face-to-face Communication –
For many years, businesses have relied on email as their primary mode of communication. Any form of relationship, particularly relationships with coworkers, can be harmed by electronic communication.
When speaking face-to-face, it is easier to discern the meaning behind what a person says because the majority of meaning is conveyed by nonverbal gestures and facial expressions.
• Don’t just hear – listen –
Many people lack the ability to listen, which is a vital communication skill. The majority of conflicts arise as a result of insufficient listening. You must be able to hear what is being said in order to exchange information with another person.
• Transmit Clear Information –
Communication in the workplace involves transmitting information from one person to another. When you don’t communicate clearly and accurately, you risk creating more uncertainty than clarification. Plan your correspondence to make sure you’re getting along the right details in the right amount so the people you’re talking to understand what you’re doing.
• Ask questions –
Asking questions not only demonstrates that you were paying attention, but it also confirms that you heard what the other person was saying. You may also use questions to elicit more detail and better comprehend the conversation. Be certain that your questions are relevant to what is being said. Don’t change the subject by answering questions about anything completely unrelated.
• Combine Verbal & Non-Verbal Information –
You must consider the value of nonverbal communication if you want to become a more successful communicator. Make sure the verbal and nonverbal messages are consistent. Positive nonverbal feedback, such as head nodding while the other person is speaking and an open body stance, aids in the flow of the conversation.
• Refrain from gossip –
If your coworkers have a habit of gossiping about others at work, simply listen, smile, and return to work. Gossiping gives people a bad opinion of you which can lead to future problems.
• Offer positive feedback –
Tell your coworker if he or she does a good job on a project. Positive feedback is a perfect way to enhance communication in the workplace. It also improves people’s perceptions of you and promotes open contact.
• Avoid being personal with your co-workers –
Be cautious about sharing too much personal information with your coworkers. You should aim to be professional while staying friendly. If you get too personal with your coworkers, you risk being seen as less trustworthy when sharing sensitive information.
• Handle conflicts with diplomacy –
If you believe someone has misunderstood what you said, speak with him or her as soon as possible. This will help you avoid needless resentment and lost productivity. Handle a minor misunderstanding as soon as possible to avoid it being a major crisis. When dealing with a confrontation, keep an open mind and avoid personal attacks.
• Avoid discussing controversial topics –
Keep the topic of discussion in the office as neutral as possible. To avoid upsetting others, avoid debating politics or other contentious issues in the workplace. Although it’s important to get to know the people you work with, it’s best to steer clear of contentious topics.
Besides the communication techniques to effective communication, there are some skills that one must possess for having a satisfactory and winning conversation or effective communication.
Effective Communication Skills –
The most valuable and useful life skill is the ability to communicate effectively. It is what allows us to communicate with others and comprehend what is said to us. Some of the effective communication skills are enlisted below, to make a conversation/communication fruitful, one must own and master these skills.
1. Listening –
The first and foremost criteria for effective communication is to listen first. Listening is an important part of a conversation where we try to grasp the essence of the conversation. To be heard is to listen first. One should be very alert and focused when they tend to listen or gather information from another person. One should try to listen twice as much as they tend to speak.
2. Non-verbal Communication –
Non-verbal signals are shown by us while making a conversation or presentation or while communicating also play a great role in how one shall perceive a conversation. Some common examples could be the posture of hands, nodding of the head, or a person’s gaze. These signals may not seem to carry such importance, but they are an indispensable part of effective communication.
3. Responsiveness –
The amount of active response that one gets decides what kind of a conversation it would turn out to be. Effective communication depends a lot on the responsiveness of the listener. Thus one should make sure that a conversation is being brought to the right place and in time so that the listeners will have ample chance to grasp the idea and thus, in turn, will respond actively.
4. Clarity –
Being clear & concise never goes out of the way for effective communication. The clarity in a conversation ensures the righteousness of the messages that are intended to be transferred. The best possible way to be clear and precise with a message is to bring clear thoughts as to how you will bring the points sequentially. This shall help to get clarity while speaking and would lead to effective communication.
5. Ask questions –
Asking questions not only demonstrates that you were paying attention but also confirms that you heard what the other person was saying. You may also use questions to elicit more detail and better comprehend the conversation. Be certain that your questions are relevant to what is being said. Don’t change the subject by answering questions about anything completely unrelated.
6. Combine Verbal & Non-Verbal Information –
You must consider the value of nonverbal communication if you want to become a more successful communicator. Make sure the verbal and nonverbal messages are co-related to each other and are consistent. Positive nonverbal feedback, such as head nodding while the other person is speaking and an open body stance, aids in the flow of the conversation.
7. Choosing the right medium –
Choosing the right medium again plays an important role in effective communication. Some conversations are better done face-to-face, where others are better done with documentations—for example, sending an e-mail for leave to your will more feasible than asking them over call or texts.
8. Confidence –
Any message, when delivered confidently, brings life to a conversation. There are innumerable ways to appear confident such as making direct eye contact while speaking, maintain a straight and confident posture, choosing a language as the medium to communicate in which you are confident shall add to it.
Significance of Effective Communication –
In our day-to-day lives, communication is crucial. Nonetheless, for certain people, the art of effective communication is a mystery. Communication is one of the most important social skills for someone to have to succeed in this world.
We are attracted to one another as humans and interact with one another in a number of ways. Depending on the nature of an interaction, each person plays a variety of roles daily.
When you communicate effectively, you not only get your message through to others, but you also let them in on your thoughts and emotions. Whether it’s between family members, coworkers, mates, good communication is beneficial.
Conclusion –
We are drawn to one another as humans and interact with one another in a number of ways. Depending on the nature of an interaction, each person plays a variety of roles on a daily basis.
Effective communication skills not only enable a person to live a healthy life, but they also allow them to have strong work ethics, which enables them to pursue a successful career. A person who has mastered basic tricks like leaning forward in a chair to show the speaker they are interested in what they have to suggest can go a long way toward developing a very impressive personality.
