Good communication skills are so essential. It can be the difference between achieving or failing in life.
Communication is the foundation of everything we do. Whether you leave the house or not, you still communicate with others daily, be it online or in person. How well you get along with people hinges on how well you communicate. How successful you are in life hinges on how well you communicate. There are a few ‘rules’ that you can apply to all of your communications.
Why?
It is precisely for work or professional communication. Often, we waste a lot of time and energy communicating when we do not know why we are bothering. So, think about what you would like to accomplish?
Apply it to your personal life, and even idle chit-chat can have some purpose, whether bonding or getting to know someone.
When others initiate a conversation, consider why it is taking place; if you can not understand why try to guide the dialogue to determine the why gently. Focus and understand the why to avoid rabbit trails and side issues that detract from the manner at hand.
In-Person Communication
Have you ever fallen out with someone over text message? Perhaps someone wrote a message on social media, and someone read the statement and mistook it the wrong way? If you are dealing with a highly emotional issue, then it should be addressed in person. If it is impossible to do so in person, at least do so via video call. It goes for positive and negative emotions. If you are delivering great news, then you want everyone to get sucked into your positive energy.
As far as bad news or negative conversations go, if you relay it in person, there is less chance of bad feelings.
Email Facts
People often lose concentration when they receive facts and figures verbally. If you are dealing with a finance issue, statistics, or otherwise, opt for emailing the information so the other person can quickly look back on the numbers when necessary.
No Talking, Listen
It applies to in-person communication. Stop spending so much time doing all the talking and start listening. Unless you are the one who came to the table to start a conversation, give others the respect they are due when they are trying to communicate their ideas or feelings. Do not dominate conversations with your motor-mouth.
Simplicity
We live in a society of information overload, so simplify your messages. You might use five sentences, but you can probably say it with one.
Until tomorrow, please stay safe, and keep the faith.
