Communication can also be in written or electronic form. With each form of communication there are different rules to guide you and help you become a better communicator.
Good communication skills not only help to improve your personal relationships, but also your success in the workplace. This six part blog series will cover the following six rules of effective communication.
Listening 2. Verbal Communication 3. Nonverbal Communication 4. Emotional Awareness 5. Written Communication 6. Communicating in Difficult Situations. The University of Minnesota describes active listening as:.
Active listening is a learned skill, which makes it further surprising that it's not taught in elementary, middle, high school and college. It takes practice and concentration to become a good, active listener.
Active listening doesn't guarantee that you will never encounter a communication breakdown. But of all the factors that promote effective communication, it is arguably the most vital of all.
And this is before you consider the vexing barriers and obstacles that lie ahead. The first and most complex barrier to effective communication is attitude. It's complex because it encompasses so many factors that shape a state of mind, including:. The second barrier to effective communication is language and medium.
Like attitude, it is equally broad and includes such factors as:. Saying what you mean and meaning what you say may sound simple — at least, until you drill down and consider some examples that may give you pause. Obviously, if you must reprimand an employee, it's better to do so privately and in person. But what about if you want to compliment an employee? Just as you didn't master the English language in one year, you probably won't learn to minimize the foibles of language and medium, either.
Give yourself time; you'll persevere. The third barrier to effective communication is listening and feedback. Without good listening skills, the sender of a message will not know if the recipient understands it. And without feedback, the sender will not know if the recipient has interpreted the message properly.
Many factors can impede this crucial process, but they tend to fall under the categories of:. Polishing your active listening skills will go a long way toward helping you counteract these challenges and toward championing factors that promote effective communication. You can also:. The fourth barrier to effective communication is noise and physical obstacles, factors to consider eliminating for effective communication that can include:.
Removing or at least reducing such distractions seems like an obvious remedy — one that can solve all problems. When you cannot — when you're at the mercy of an inferior environment — the best step you can take is to move to one that is more conducive to listening, talking and interacting.
Yes, you may have to interrupt someone to suggest a change in venue. But a short interruption will probably pale in comparison to trying to forge ahead in an environment in which your important messages are competing with other sources. You're probably going to make some mistakes as you finesse your communication skills, just as you're bound to make some missteps as you fine-tune your software choices, accounting system, advertising plan and all the other elements of your small business.
Unlike computers and computer programs that can be tweaked by pressing a few buttons, human beings, as you know, do not come equipped with buttons or an instruction manual. This is partially why the human dynamic of your business may turn out to be the most challenging — but also the most rewarding — of all. Mary Wroblewski earned a master's degree with high honors in communications and has worked as a reporter and editor in two Chicago newsrooms.
Wroblewski Updated August 20, Take it from the top, and refresh your knowledge of the steps involved in all forms of communication. Embrace the value of active listening. Assess the obstacles to effective communication so that you can overcome them.
Companies can take some measures to avoid this problem. Communication in business also fails when people assign different meanings to the same word.
Such a misunderstanding happens when technical words or jargons are used. Moreover, people may intentionally misinterpret the inner meaning of words. Misunderstanding of the message is a common thing in communication but it could create a problem for the company. So, messages must be prepared properly and there should be a feedback system. Emotions and feelings of the parties involved in communication significantly affect the meaning of communication.
For example, physicians are usually less emotional to the patient than those of the relatives of the patients. The experience of previous communication strongly determines the effectiveness of further communication between the same sender and receiver.
If either of the parties has a bitter experience, further communication between them is likely to be ineffective. The difference in the informal educational and intellectual level of the sender and receiver also influences the meaning of communication.
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