Modern man strives to be successful everywhere - both at work and in his personal life. Career, family, friends are all parts of life, and effective communication allows you to improve all areas and reach maximum agreement. Everyone should strive to improve their social skills. Even if initially there are difficulties, over time this knowledge will bear well-deserved fruits - reliable interpersonal connections.
Defining communication
Different ways of transferring information from one person to another is called communication. It includes all the variety of channels for transmitting and decoding signals and happens:
- verbal;
- nonverbal;
- written;
- pictographic;
- space-symbol etc.
Communication is said to be effective when the sender of information communicateson the same wavelength as the recipient. However, even communication in a single sign system does not guarantee that the message will be correctly decoded.
Effective communication allows you to minimize the loss of meaning of the message. To successfully promote a business, to maintain friendships, for a vibrant personal life, it will be useful for anyone to improve their communication skills.
Effective Communication Essentials
Communication as a banal exchange of information is already present in the simplest animals. Man in the process of evolution has brought communication to perfection. Spoken and signed speech developed and gradually expanded to written, symbolic and figurative. However, this process has complicated understanding, and effective communication becomes a separate object of study.
The communication process includes five elements:
- Communicator - one who transmits information.
- Message content.
- Method of transferring information (how it is carried out).
- Audience, or recipient - who the message is intended for.
- The final stage of communication, allowing you to understand whether effective communication has taken place. It is possible only if the previous four are sufficiently satisfactory.
Principles of Effective Communication
Without positive communication, it is impossible to achieve mutual understanding on any issue. In order to make sure that other people correctly perceive outgoing information,a number of requirements must be met.
First of all, you need to pay attention to the principles of effective communication:
- Communication should be two-way. When all participants are interested in a positive outcome of the conversation, and it is equivalent for them, the necessary effect occurs.
- The recipient must make every effort to correctly understand the message.
- Message should be clear, structured and concise.
- The recipient must trust the speaker, respect his opinion and not question his competence.
- Effective communication is always emotional, to the extent appropriate for the situation.
- Patience and condescension to other people's shortcomings. Acceptance of people as they are, without trying to correct or fix anything.
Below we discuss the basic conditions for effective communication.
How to achieve a positive effect from communication?
For communication to be considered effective, certain conditions must be met:
- Speech should correspond to the original purpose of the conversation, be adequate. Do not talk too much or touch on issues in the conversation that have nothing to do with the topic under discussion. This improves effective communication skills.
- The words used must be logical and lexically accurate, this is very important to achieve the goal of communication. It is achieved through constant self-education, reading various literature and attentive attitude to the native language.
- The narration itself should be logical and competent. A clear structure of presentation creates favorable conditions for listeners and increases the chances of a positive outcome.
Effective Communication Techniques
Any person lives in society and is dependent on it. Even the most desperate homebodies, perhaps not directly, but enter into interpersonal relationships. Both for work and for domestic social connections, effective communication will be useful. Techniques and communication skills can be developed and improved - it will make everyone's life much easier.
Do you want to get positive in the process of communication? You may find it helpful to learn some techniques to improve communication efficiency:
- Learn to listen carefully to what is being said. You should not only look at the interlocutor during the conversation, but also lean slightly, nod your head, and ask relevant leading questions. This technique will allow you to understand the point of view of the interlocutor as accurately as possible.
- Speak clearly, concisely and to the point. The more clearly a thought is formulated, the more likely it is to be understood and perceived correctly.
- Include in your arsenal not only verbal, but also non-verbal communication. Take the same posture as the other person, try to use only open gestures, do not touch your face during the conversation.
- Watch the emotional coloring of speech. It should be moderate, but enough so that the interlocutor understands your interest in the question.
- Master the art of public speaking. The ability to control the voice allows you to accelerate the development of effective communication. Cleararticulation, correct timbre and adjusted volume will make any message positive.
- Master the technical means of communication. Any adult needs to be able to use the phone, fax, Skype, e-mail. Written communication skills should be developed regularly.
These are just basic techniques designed to facilitate and improve interpersonal communication.
Rules for effective communication
Any interpersonal communication must comply with certain standards. Their violation leads to a lack of understanding between the interlocutors, conflicts and even to a break in relations.
Rules for effective communication:
- Speak the other person's language. This rule should be understood as the need to take into account the level of education, social status, age and other parameters. To be heard and understood, you need to formulate your thoughts based on the characteristics of the audience.
- Get ready to socialize. If the conversation is not spontaneous, you should find out in advance with whom and for what reason you will meet. Take visual materials and technical means. Plan the conversation.
- Learn the techniques of active listening, this will help to position the interlocutor and better understand his point of view.
- Speak clearly, moderately loud and confident, do not drawl, but do not slur.
- When writing a letter, stick to the chosen style.
- Before making a phone call or Skype, make a conversation plan in advance andquestions to discuss.
Ways to communicate effectively
To achieve mutual understanding in the process of communication, it is necessary to create conditions and take into account possible ways of effective communication. There are six of them in total:
- Strive to express your thoughts as convincingly as possible. Always be brief and to the point, avoid unnecessary jumble of words, omissions and possible double interpretations.
- Use terminology and professionalisms only when appropriate.
- Even in everyday communication, jargon and slang expressions should be avoided, especially when it comes to intergenerational communication.
- Avoid excessive emotional load, both positive and negative.
- Try to address in a personalized way, by name, by scientific or military rank, or by uniting a group of interlocutors with a common word.
- Always respect the rules of courtesy and etiquette.
Non-verbal cues to improve communication
Interlocutors perceive each other not only by ear. Verbal exposure can be increased or decreased by various non-verbal cues. Our body sends them out in large numbers, and other people read and interpret them on a subconscious level.
To improve communication skills, it will be useful to master the techniques of positive non-verbal reinforcement:
- Be always clean and tidy: evenif the clothes do not exactly match the dress code, the overall impression of the conversation will be positive.
- Try to control facial expressions and emotions. Facial expression should be neutral-positive and respond with changes depending on the flow of the conversation.
- Avoid touching your face during a communicative act - this is subconsciously perceived as an attempt to cover your mouth, respectively, your statement is false.
- Learn to "mirror" the position of the interlocutor's body. It is important to do this delicately, without undue zeal, so as not to look like a caricature.
- Avoid "closed" poses - crossed arms and legs. This position of the body indicates a lack of readiness for effective communication. While open palms and a friendly smile are able to win over any interlocutor.
Conditions for effective communication through technical means
Technological progress has given us new tools to facilitate communication. These are telephones, faxes, the Internet. Communication with the help of technology should be built according to the same rules and principles as interpersonal communication. All rules of etiquette, principles of business and personal conversation should be observed.
