5 ways to communicate effectively
Gracy Anand
Many of us communicate with people every day, whether in person or on social media platforms. But how much of our communication actually reaches the intended audience or person the way we hoped? – is the main question !
Effective communication requires us to be clear and complete in what we are trying to express.
Being an effective communicator in our professional and personal lives involves learning the skills to exchange information with clarity, empathy, and understanding.
Now , lets have a look how to communicate clearly in this article –
WHAT IS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION?
Effective communication is the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and data so that the message is received and understood .
For communication to be effective, it must be clear, correct, complete, concise, and compassionate. Lets consider these to be the 5 C’s of communication, though they may vary depending on who you’re asking.
BENEFITS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION –
The benefits of communication effectiveness can be seen in the workplace, in an educational setting, and in your personal life. Learning how to communicate well can be a boon in each of these areas.
In the workplace, effective communication can help you:
• Manage employees and build teams.
• Building leadership skills.
• Grow your organization more rapidly and retain employees.
• Build strong relationships and attract more opportunities for you or your organization
In your personal life, effective communication can lead to:
• Improved social, emotional, and mental health
• New bonds based on trust
• Better problem–solving and conflict resolution skills
How to improve your communication skills
1. Working on your body language –
In face-to-face conversation, body language plays an important role. Communication is 55 percent non-verbal, 38 percent vocal (tone and inflection), and 7 percent words, according to Albert Mehrabian, [a researcher ]. Up to 93 percent of communication, then, does not involve what you are actually saying.
Positive body language is open—your posture is upright and receptive, your palms are open, you lean in when speaking or listening, and nod encouragingly. Negative body language can include biting your lip nervously, looking bored, crossing your arms, putting your hands on your hips, or tapping your foot impatiently.
2. Make your message as clear as possible.
Once you have successfully identified your audience and listened to their intentions, needs, and desires, you may have something to communicate. To do this effectively, turn to the 5 C’s of communication to ensure your message is:
• Clear
• Correct
• Complete
• Concise
• Compassionate
•
2. Maintain good eye contact
Eye contact is a vital part of communicating well with others. Not looking the other person in the eyes may indicate that you don’t care what they’re saying, or you have something to hide.
3. Understand the other person first.
When another person feels you understand them, they are far more likely to be open to understanding you. Willingness to understand involves generosity, respect, self-control, compassion and patience. Be ‘curious instead of furious’ about how others are different from you.
5.Ways we communicate other than words.
Everything that is in our heart and mind is expressed through our body, our facial expressions, the tone of our voice, and the vibrations . All these are intuitively picked up and understood by others. To have connection, understanding and harmony in our relationships, we need to nourish those aspects deeply within ourselves.
Learning to communicate effectively takes time and practice.
Gaining more insight into how you currently communicate is a great first step toward learning to share your ideas in a clear and respectful way.
“Slowing down to think before you communicate gives you the power to be intentional about what you are saying,” says Kingma.
