Why Effective Communication Is Important? Effective communication is important in various spheres of life. It helps avoid misunderstandings because you will know what other think. Effective communication helps you to connect with people. This fulfills the human need for socializing. Communication helps you to get what you want by expressing yourself appropriately. Communication Skills Being able to communicate with others is one of the best life skills a person can develop. Someone who can effectively communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings is better equipped for success both on the job and in personal relationships. Effective communication is much more than being able to talk; it is also the ability to listen and understand others, to “read” and interpret body language and to know the best ways to get our points across. To be a better communicator: Be considerate. Don’t dominate the conversation by talking only about yourself. Use questions to probe the person’s feelings or opinions on the topic of conversation. Speak clearly. Don’t mumble or talk in the opposite direction of the listener. Also, use words that you know the listener might understand. Stay focused on the conversation. Doing something else while you are talking, such as typing or working on other tasks, sends a message to the listener that you don’t think the conversation is worthy of your full attention, and it could inhibit the listener’s responses to what you say. Be brief. Don’t over talk a point. It may cause the other person to lose interest in the conversation. Learn to “read” the listener. If the other person seems inattentive or uncomfortable, it is probably not a good time to be carrying on a conversation. Recommend having the conversation at another time. To be a better listener: Eliminate distractions. If you find it hard to concentrate because of your surroundings, move to another area or schedule another time to talk. Make time to listen. If you are in a hurry or don’t have time, let the person/speaker know and schedule another time to talk. Better to delay the conversation than to risk having an important conversation cut short. Practice reflective listening. Repeat what you think the person/speaker said to ensure you heard the person/speaker correctly. This is called “reflective listening” and it is identified by statements as “If I understand you correctly…” reflective listening gives the person/speaker a chance to clarify a point and ensures that both the person/speaker and the listener are on the same page. Listen for understanding. If you don’t understand what is being said, don’t be shy or embarrassed to ask questions. It is better to ask for clarification than to risk a misunderstanding that could lead to problems later on. Wait for the person/speaker to finish. Don’t interrupt, even when it’s apparent the person speaking is gathering his/her thoughts. Pay attention to what is being said. When someone is speaking, don’t spend that time preparing your remarks or working on a project – listen. Keep eye contact. Doing so shows that you are interested in what is being said, which may encourage the speaker to express him/herself more freely. Communication is the basis of our lives and we would in this day and age, be handicapped without it. Every day we are communicating with each other in some way or another, be it by using words, actions or even expressions in conveying a message. We depend not only on face-to-face communication but the kind that brings technology to the fore to bridge that gap between people by mere seconds across vast distances.
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:01:46 +0000
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