| Relationships and business dealings rely on our ability to | | | | That may sound easy enough, so why is good |
| communicate thoughts and ideas clearly from one | | | | communication such a challenge for most? It starts |
| person to another; due to this reliance, it is critical to | | | | with conveying your message clearly. The words you |
| ensure effective communication skills to avoid the cost | | | | speak and the message heard by the listener are |
| incurred by misunderstandings - but what happens | | | | influenced by both parties' personal life experiences, |
| when we don’t? The damage can range | | | | level of education, employment history, age, and cultural |
| anywhere from minor confusion to costly mistakes, | | | | background. When any of these influences differ a |
| hurt feelings and ruined lives. Possessing the skill set | | | | breeding ground is created for misunderstandings at |
| required for effective communication can impact your | | | | the onset of the conversation. It can appear as if two |
| overall effectiveness in life situations and ultimately | | | | individuals are speaking different languages. Many |
| determine your success or failure. | | | | times, this type of miscommunication is found in |
| The difficult setback we all face is that communication | | | | conversations between males and females or when |
| skills are not what we spend our time focusing on in | | | | directives are given by a senior executive to a junior |
| school, job training, or in our day to day interactions. | | | | level employee. |
| The truth is, most people do not place a high priority on | | | | So how can you combat this difficulty? One easy |
| communication skills, and place them at the bottom of | | | | way is to ask follow-up, open-ended questions. |
| their list of skills needed to be successful at the job of | | | | Through your questions you will discover whether or |
| their dreams, if it makes the list at all. | | | | not the intended meaning of your words were |
| The problem with neglecting communication skills is | | | | received and understood. Using questions that begin |
| how it reflects in your effectiveness when expressing | | | | with the words “how”, “why”, or |
| your thoughts and presenting your ideas. In your daily | | | | “what” will encourage a dialog and enable you |
| business interactions you present your ideas both | | | | to evaluate their responses to determine if the |
| formally through stand-up presentations and informally | | | | information received is being understood in the manner |
| during general conversation. The job of both formats is | | | | you intended. |
| to deliver information from you to another. | | | | However, the only true test of the listener’s |
| The presenting of ideas between individuals account | | | | understanding can be found in the listener’s actions. |
| for an enormous amount of information transfer. It has | | | | How many times have you found yourself involved in |
| been estimated that on a typical business day the | | | | a conversation thinking all was understood, only to find |
| exchange of individual pieces of information can reach | | | | out while observing the listener’s actions that |
| into the thousands; leaving many people feeling | | | | something was clearly misunderstood? This situation |
| inundated with information by the end of the day. The | | | | can be eliminated by asking a probing, action-oriented, |
| sheer volume of communication exchange is enough | | | | open-ended question to elicit the intended action the |
| to foster misunderstandings, inaccuracies, and | | | | listener will take in regards to your conversation. |
| confusion which can develop into problems and costly | | | | Once the circle of conversation is successfully |
| mistakes in a very short amount of time when good | | | | completed, the value is found by making on the spot |
| communication skills are not employed. | | | | corrections to misunderstandings which could be costly |
| So how can you avoid these problems and improve | | | | personally or professionally if left unchecked. When |
| your communication skills? Whether it is in the work | | | | you are able to effectively perform the circle of |
| place or individual relationships, the keys to good | | | | conversation, the art of processing good ideas, using |
| communication begins with the circle of conversation, | | | | ideas productively, and following through with correct |
| which includes: conveying a clear message, looking for | | | | follow-up actions will occur naturally - all of which will |
| an acknowledgment of your message being received, | | | | provide you with a competitive edge during information |
| and eliciting a response from the listener to ensure | | | | exchange in relationships and business dealings. |
| your message was understood accurately. | | | | |