Talk Less, Say More : Effective communication !

[Chetan_Tiwary_]

Do people often misunderstand you? Do you feel unheard or unclear when you speak or write?

Good communication isn’t magic. It’s a skill. And like all skills, it can be learned.

Here is how to make your message land every time :

Why does it matter to you ?

If you can’t communicate clearly, you can’t lead, can't solve problems, or work well with others.

Simple!

Clear communication builds trust. It saves time. It helps teams move forward.

So, what is meant by Effective Communication? 

Effective communication happens when the message you send is precisely the message the other person receives. It's a clear, two-way street :- you express yourself, they grasp your meaning, their response is relevant, and ultimately, you both walk away from the conversation with complete clarity.

Types of Communication

• Verbal (speaking out loud)
• Nonverbal (gestures, body language, tone)
• Written (emails, reports, messages)
• Visual (pictures, graphs, charts)
• Mass (talking to large groups)
• Group (meetings and teams)

  How to Make Your Message Crystal Clear ?

Know your point	what you want to convey
Short and sweet	Use short words and short sentences
Ditch the jargon	Avoid fancy terms or industry buzzwords
Pause and plan	There is no rush
Speak slowly and clearly	enunciate
Illustrate with examples	this helps big time!
Rephrase if they don’t understand	recourse/reapproach
Use positive body language	engage with your audience

Truly listening is a superpower. Most people are just waiting for their turn to talk NOT knowing Listening is also one way of the 2 way communication.

To truly listen, you need to hit pause on whatever you're doing and give the other person your full attention. Make an effort to make eye contact. That is a simple way to show you're engaged. It's crucial not to jump in and interrupt and let them finish their thoughts completely. If required, raise your hand or ask to clarify something you need. 

Good listeners are rare - Be one!

What to do when it becomes tough ?

• Stay calm in conflict.
• Give the other person space to speak.
• Use humor when it helps.
• Take breaks if emotions run high.

!! Practice, eat, sleep then Repeat !!

[Trevor]

Well, based on my definition of "often", I'm not misunderstood that much.  
However, there is that occasional instance that I am misunderstood. - and
it has nothing to do with me!

[Chetan_Tiwary_]

@Trevor Haha, fair point! Sometimes it really is the listener, not the messenger.

But if even one person misses what we meant, it still costs us time or energy. That’s why I always ask: ‘Did they hear what I meant, or just what I said?’
Thanks for chiming in. This is exactly the kind of honest insight we need to talk about communication as a shared responsibility.

[Trevor]

If I'm lecturing/discussing, I will ALWAYS conclude each point by asking,
"Does that make sense what I just explained?"   It's like building a structure -
I'm going to verify the integrity of the layer just completed, before I continue
with the next layer.  Foundation is critical!!!

I'm asking along the way, during the communication, and not just at the end!
So, I'm in total agreement with you when you say", That's why you always ask, ..."

[Chetan_Tiwary_]

@Trevor More people need to adopt that mid-way feedback loop, not just a wrap-up summary. Thanks for sharing this! That’s a masterclass in practical communication.