Dare to Live Without Limits — Effective Communications

BY BRYAN GOLDEN CONTRIBUTOR

COMMUNICATING effectively is essential for getting your ideas across, being understood, and being able to convey what you need or want. Effective communicators enjoy many benefits. They build trust, prevent or resolve problems, are clearly understood, have better interpersonal relationships, and have less frustration and stress. Poor communications result in distrust, misunderstandings, stress, people doing the wrong thing, anger, and bitterness.

Communication can take place in-person, over the phone, in a memo or letter, or via email or text. Communication is most effective in-person because both verbal and non-verbal cues are at work.

When you are communicating face to face the other person hears what is being said, how it’s being said, and can see the body language which accompanies the message.

For your message to be best understood, what you say should match how you say it.

Your words, tone, attitude, and body language should all be consistent and reinforce each other. When your verbal and non-verbal messages conflict, people tend to believe the non-verbal over the verbal.

Effective in-person communication requires you to be a good listener as well as being perceptive. Watch and listen to verify whether or not your message is being accurately received. Ask questions to make sure you are understood.

The next most effective form of communication is verbal only, such as a phone call. Although you don’t have the visual component, you do have verbal cues such as tone of voice and intonation. When on the phone, listen carefully without being distracted. Ask questions to verify that you have been understood.

The least effective form of communications is written. There is no immediate feedback as to how your message was received, if it was read in its entirety, or if it was accurately understood. Written communication should be your last choice, used only if in-person, or verbal communication is not an option.

Never communicate, in any form, when angry or upset. Your thinking is