By Dr. Paul L. Gerhardt, PhD
Having effective communication skills is probably the top skill every leader must possess. Likewise, developing excellent communication skills is essential in leading a fulfilled life both personally and professionally. Every individual creates his/her own successes in life. I believe that the meaning of life truly is about having and managing successful relationships. Every relationship is built around interactions founded upon some sort of communication. The good news is that despite, education, gender, experience and background, it is possible for every person to start TODAY and learn effective communication interaction skills.
Some folks believe that communication is both an art and a science. However, most take communication for granted. This may be because they have had the gift of being able to do some things well and have gotten due to their individual talents. In spite of everything that one can do well, having effective communication skills can and does tend to enhance personal successes. It takes everyone involved to be on the same page to communicate with others and successfully broadcasting what we each have to offer. The more we can offer, the more valuable and therefore successful we can be.
In the workplace, an average fifty percent or more of the time is spent by employees communicating with each other. It is important to note that nearly one-fourth of all problems at the workplace are also caused due to lack of effective communication or some sort of miscommunication. We must realize that we are communicating all the time.
Some social scientists will tell you that a surprising aspect related to communication is that nearly seventy-five percent of all communication is nonverbal. This percentage varies depending upon who you ask. However, what is important to know is that body movement, eye contact, facial expression and posture are all non verbal modes of communication. When others are within viewing distance of others, they are picking up on nonverbal communication--what our face and body is communicating about our feelings and attitudes.
Stress is very often caused due to communication errors or a lack of communication. When messages communicated are not clear and concise, it can lead to huge misunderstandings between managers and subordinates. Miscommunication ultimately leads to job stress and low productivity.
Miscommunication often occurs between peers at the same level of an organization or at any level which often causes stress. Expectations must be clear and those who are expected to carry it out must have a clear understanding of what is expected. Communicators (message senders) must make sure that they have not just been talking, but effectively communicating. One must not assume that just because someone affirms with "Yes, I understand." Because that could simply mean, I don't' want you to assume I am weak or stupid. It may mean, "Would you please repeat what you said? I was busy doing something else and you did not have my full-attention, but I did not want you to know that I needed a second to focus on your communication."
The good news is that effective communication can be learned. Training may be the best investment an organization may make in their employees. It may pay insurmountable dividends in the long-run. Interactive workshops truly are an amazing way to develop effective communication skills. tons of research has proved that teaching supportive and empathetic skills will help in improving interaction and make it more effective. Apart from improving the basic skills needed for interaction, a side benefit of communication training programs imparts a lot of importance in giving respect to the person who is speaking. Every person in every organization deserves and must feel genuinely respected in order to maximize interpersonal successes.
At every level of an organization due to the very nature of organizations, it is absolutely important to appreciate and understand the other person’s thoughts and opinions no matter their age, gender, education, experience and cultural differences. Essentially, if you break it down, the important components of any form of effective communication involves the sender and receiver. Both parties must feel respected and be shown respect in order to get the messages across effectively.
From the onset, messages that are crafted and developed by the sender must absolutely be clear and concise. Sometimes the whole message does not come out the way that it is intended. Taking a little extra time to communicate what is intend is a smart investment of time. By doing so, it will be much easier for the appropriate message to be understood by the receiver. Likewise, the receiver also has the responsibility to take some time to stop what he or she is doing and listen attentively to the message that is being conveyed. If the receiver is unable to comprehend the message, it is his duty to ask questions and provide necessary feedback to the sender.
Effective leaders understand that the process of communication will break if there are even the smallest barriers to it. Employees might experience frustration if they feel they are not listened to and shown genuine respect. Any barrier can also lead to long-term discontent and ill feelings between employees and leaders. As a result, expectations may not be met by both parties and will ultimately lead to poor working relationships, resentment and work-related stress.
Be aware of communications barriers which may include:
· Physical distance between the sender and the receiver. Too much distance may result in certain words or phrases not been heard or misheard.
· Cultural barriers, which can be differences in belief systems.
· Body language and nonverbal barriers which include any gestures, facial expressions, or body positions that are not properly understood by the receiver.
· Tone of voice or the way we say things also matters.
Each and everyone of these barriers must be considered for effective interaction among individuals. Communication is essentially the tool used for exchanging information, express emotional attitude of an individual, increase awareness and also used for cooperation among people.
Essentially, these are the various types of communication we all should be aware of:
· Intrapersonal communication which relates to an individual’s innermost beliefs, feelings and influences. Interpersonal communication is used to interact at the workplace. It is the medium of interaction between managers and subordinates, employees and clients and any other professional exchange of messages between individuals.
· Small group communication takes place within teams that work in an organization. This sort of interaction can be used to plan, develop and implement projects within the team.
· Organizational communication refers to oral and written interaction among employees and management.
· Public communication can be both formal and informal.
It is vitally important to remember that communication is and MUST be a genuine two-way process. If either one of the people involved (sender and receiver) do not fulfill their individual duties and responsibilities, EFFECTIVE communication is doomed to fail. Communication is an ongoing and continual process where the interaction is taking place at regular intervals. Communication is much more than just talking. The best leaders and employees are trained to understand the true value and importance of communication. They fully understand all that is involved in making every communication effective and meaningful on a daily basis, while giving those involved in every communication the proper respect they deserve.
Copyright © 2012 by Dr. Paul L. Gerhardt. All right reserved.
