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Communication Is Our Lifeblood

Article by Shirley Taylor and Alison Lester

Most people would agree that their satisfaction at work is largely derived from the way they, their colleagues and their clients communicate. The fundamental building blocks of successful communication involve being able to deliver a message clearly and engagingly, and to understand and appreciate other people's messages. This in turn leads to increased productivity and a sense of professional well-being.

Human communication tends to be a complicated affair, however. It's layered with unclear expectations, undisclosed hopes, and unfortunate misunderstandings.

More comfortable with sms?

Many young people actually start their working lives not knowing how to communicate face to face with their colleagues, let alone with employers and clients. They are more comfortable sending text messages than they are speaking. Some people lack the confidence to speak up, while others are so overconfident that they don't know how to listen. Then they wonder why they aren't given more responsibilities and are overlooked for promotion.

Hiding behind e-mail?

Advances in technology over the last couple of decades have transformed the way we work, enabling us to communicate faster, more efficiently and more effectively. It's ironic that this technological evolution has brought about a decline in the art of effective communication. E-mail has quickly become an essential means of communication with clients and colleagues. However, many of us would have to admit that we sometimes send an e-mail when we absolutely know it would be better to pick up the phone, or perhaps just walk over to a colleague's desk to pass on a message. So it's no real wonder that with so many of us hiding behind e-mail, we are damaging our own ability to communicate orally, be it on the phone or face to face. Overuse of e-mail is decreasing our effectiveness when we actually do open our mouths. Personal interaction is at the heart of developing truly effective business relationships.

Teamwork

These days, we are actually expected to speak up more than ever, liaising with colleagues and clients, peers and superiors, both by telephone and in person. With open-plan offices and so much emphasis on teamwork, there is a lot to learn about communicating with other people. With communication taking up almost 100% of our working day, this should show us the vital importance of learning how to get it right. Whatever your job, your age or experience, developing your communication skills must be your top priority.

Communication skills are probably the most potent career and personal skills you can possess. They can spell the difference between success and failure in getting your job done, and in building successful relationships professionally and personally. Luckily, successful communication skills can be learned. Here are our top ten tips:

Remember these key steps to increasing clarity: slow down, use simple language and check for understanding.
Don't weaken your message by using the right words but the wrong tone. Your tone often determines whether your listeners are open to you, or closed.
Be courteous, even under stress. This can make all the difference in communication.
Take time to listen actively. This can make or break any relationship.
Have a clear goal in mind before trying to communicate your message to others.
Use empathy in your communication. This will help you build rapport and be more persuasive.
Encourage positive thinking in team communication. Positive thinking leads to higher morale and more creative solutions.
Treat other people in the way they wish to be treated, not necessarily as you wish to be treated. This will show respect and understanding.
Never assume that you know what another person means. It's always best to clarify.
Remember that improving communication is a work in progress, and you will benefit from continual upgrading.

Communication is our lifeblood, and it's the lifeblood of any organisation. As with any other endeavour, the more you put into it, the more you'll get back. Once you start putting into practice some fundamental success tools, they will propel you along the path to a brighter, more fulfilling future.

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