What makes communication effective?

Whether you talk of personal relationships or work place interactions, success is largely dependent on a person’s ability to communicate well. Communication involves a lot more than just verbalizing thoughts. Just as a child builds a vocabulary and learns to talk, adults must also build on their communication skills. Here are a few aspects of effective communication.

Attention

When talking to a person, he or she should have your complete attention. Thus typing a message while talking to someone is not considered effective communication. Not only does this make the other person feel disrespected, it also increases the chances of missing out on a part of the conversation. Hence, just as it is important to use the right words, it is also important to look at the other person while talking to them. Similarly when listening to a person, they should have your complete attention. Listen not just to have something to reply with but to understand what the person is trying to say.

Clarity

When communicating a thought or an instruction, it is important for you to have a clear idea of what you want to say and them to deliver that message clearly to the recipient. By focusing on communicating one idea at a time, the message is easier to understand and there is a low risk of misunderstandings.

Body Language

Effective communication courses focus not only one the verbal aspect of our communications but also the nonverbal aspect of communication.  This includes the tone of your voice, your posture, your line of vision etc. When conversing with another person, your body language should ideally be confident and at ease.

Respect

Whether you are talking to a senior or a junior, it is important to always be polite and respectful in your choice of words and the tone of your voice. When listening to someone else, avoid interrupting the speaker and pay attention to what is being said. A respectful conversation takes into account the viewpoints of both the speaker and the listener and is intended not to offend either party.

To the Point

When communicating a message, one should be as crisp and concise as possible. Diverting your conversation from one topic to another is a sign of ineffective communication. Try putting your message across with the least possible words without missing out on anything and avoid repeating yourself. This saves time, helps you keep your audience’s attention and is more easily understood.

Why do you need to focus on Self Development?

Two boys grew up in the same neighborhood, went to same school, the same college and walked out with the same degrees. However, a few years after their graduation, one became a part of the management while the other did not. Why – because the latter did not give his personality as much importance as he did his technical skills. Today, your personality and attitude towards work matters as much as your certificates and qualifications. Hence, it is important to find the right self-development courses that build on your soft skills. Here are a few ways this can help you.

It helps develop an impactful personality

A strong personality sets leaders apart from followers. Your personality is shaped by your experiences and your attitude towards situations. A self-development course can help a person recognize their strengths and teach them ways to use these strengths to their advantage. Knowing your strengths boosts your confidence and gives a person the ability to face the world and not shy away from it. When you are confident about yourself, it will be reflected in your decisions and style of working and your seniors will develop confidence in you as well.

It helps manage stressful situations

Dealing with stress is an important part of leadership. Though the factors that trigger it may differ, stress is a common factor in everyone’s lives. Developing yourself can help you find ways to deal with stressful situations and not let yourself be burdened by minor troubles. It encourages people to look at the brighter side of life and to treat problems as a speed bump not a road block. In the office space, this gives you the strength to take on more tasks and responsibilities.

It makes you a more positive person

When a person sees problems without a solution in sight he is bound to have a negative outlook towards life. However, when you focus on your personality and make an effort to develop yourself, you will begin to spend more time looking for solutions instead of moping. This develops a problem solving attitude which in turn makes a person more positive. People are naturally drawn to positive energy and hence in the long run, this helps improve your social skills as well. The right social skills not only help you improve your relationships with friends and family but also help you network better in your work circles.