LEADERSHIP | Here’s how to be an effective communicator
LEADERSHIP | Numerous studies worldwide have shown that communication skills are among the most important competencies sought by employers in potential employees.
With an increasing emphasis on teamwork, wider usage of electronic mail and a service-dominated economy, you must be able to speak clearly, concisely and persuasively; write memos, business letters, reports and other documents skilfully; listen actively and respond to the ideas of other people; and present ideas and arguments effectively.
Unfortunately, not many people communicate effectively at all times. According to Richard Bolton, 80 percent of people fail at work because they do not relate well to other people. Research indicates that as much as 70 percent of all business communication fails to achieve the intended purposes.
Research also reveals that the average person remembers only 50 percent of what he or she has heard immediately after hearing it, and only 25 percent after two months. Indeed, poor communication is one of the most commonly cited sources of interpersonal conflict.
We seldom listen with the intention of really understanding what is being said. Most of us merely hear what other people are saying when we are eager to speak. About 75 percent of what we hear, we hear imprecisely. As aptly observed by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “It is a luxury to be understood.”
Communication is the process of sharing...
LEADERSHIP | Numerous studies worldwide have shown that communication skills are among the most important competencies sought by employers in potential employees.
With an increasing emphasis on teamwork, wider usage of electronic mail and a service-dominated economy, you must be able to speak clearly, concisely and persuasively; write memos, business letters, reports and other documents skilfully; listen actively and respond to the ideas of other people, and present ideas and arguments effectively.
Unfortunately, not many people communicate effectively at all times. According to Richard Bolton, 80 percent of people fail at work because they do not relate well to other people. Research indicates that as much as 70 percent of all business communication fails to achieve the intended purposes.
Research also reveals that the average person remembers only 50 percent of what he or she has heard immediately after hearing it, and only 25 percent after two months. Indeed, poor communication is one of the most commonly cited sources of interpersonal conflict.
We seldom listen with the intention of really understanding what is being said. Most of us merely hear what other people are saying when we are eager to speak. About 75 percent of what we hear, we hear imprecisely. As aptly observed by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “It is a luxury to be understood.”
Communication is the process of sharing meaning between the sender and the receiver of a message. There are three major elements in the communication process: the sender, message, and the receiver.
The sender is the source of the information and the initiator of the communication process. The message is the information or feelings that are being transmitted. The receiver is the person who receives and interprets the sender’s message. Communication is effective when the message transmitted by the sender is understood perfectly by the receiver.
There are two major types of interpersonal communication: verbal and nonverbal. Verbal communication is the transmission of a message in spoken or written form. Non-verbal communication is the nonword human responses; all messages not spoken or written. It takes place through facial expressions, gestures, body posture, personal appearance, and interpersonal space.
According to Albert Mehrabian, 93 percent of the impact of our face-to-face communication comes from our non-verbal behaviour (55 percent by facial expressions and body posture and 38 percent by paralanguage or voice intonation and inflection); and only 7 percent comes from the words we utter.
Simply put, how we say something is more important than the words we use.
Speak, write and listen well
To succeed in today’s 21st-century workplace, you need to communicate effectively (speak, write and listen well) with people both within and outside your organisation.
Good communication skills enable you to enhance your professional image, lead others effectively, get your ideas across, provide quality customer service, solve problems or interpersonal conflicts easily, work productively in teams, coach subordinates, conduct meetings effectively, and to find out what other people have to say.
Effective communication is crucial at the workplace as it enhances organisational productivity, promotes trust and commitment, reduces stress among employees and minimises organisational conflict. Additionally, according to a recent McKinsey report, well-connected teams result in a productivity increase of 20-25 percent.
Take heed that the cost of poor communication at the workplace is rather high. According to Quantified Communications, a business communications advisory firm, businesses with approximately 100 employees spend on average 17 hours a week clarifying unclear messages, which amounts to an annual cost of approximately US$525,000 in lost productivity.
Similarly, as reported by David Grossman – a communications expert – a survey of 400 companies with 100,000 employees revealed an average loss per company of US$62.4 million per year because of inadequate communication to and between employees.
Major barriers
The major barriers to effective communication are:
Differing perceptions - people with varied backgrounds of knowledge and experiences often perceive the same phenomenon differently.
Selective perception - people often block out information that conflicts with their beliefs or interests.
Filtering - it occurs when the sender withholds or distorts part of a message. For example, many subordinates tell bosses what they want to hear. There are others who provide unwarranted compliments rather than honest feedback.
Emotions - emotional reactions such as fear, hate, love and defensiveness often influence the communication process.
Poor listening skills - poor listeners may not comprehend part or all of the message due to lack of concentration on what is being said.
Inconsistent verbal and non-verbal communication - verbal and non-verbal communication which contradicts each other will convey a false message to the receiver.
Information overload - it is not uncommon for people to be bombarded with information at the workplace. Too much information reduces the receiver’s ability to concentrate on the most important message. Research shows that most people have difficulty working with more than about seven pieces of information.
Source credibility - the credibility of a message is often dependent on the credibility of the sender in the mind of the receiver. A person perceived as trustworthy or competent has a greater chance of having his or her message accepted by the receiver.
Language differences - the same words often mean entirely different things to different people due to their educational or cultural backgrounds.
Premature evaluation - many people have a tendency to judge others prematurely. This prevents them from receiving the other person’s messages objectively.
10 tips on communicating effectively
1. Clarify your ideas before communicating. If what you are about to communicate is not clear to you, it will not be clear to the other person. Consult with other people, when appropriate, in planning communications. This often leads to additional insights and objectivity.
2. Consider the setting (social climate, custom, physical setting) in which the communication will take place. Choose the right place and time to convey any constructive criticism. Reduce or eliminate the sources of noise when you communicate.
3. Use appropriate body language to communicate your true feelings. Ensure that your body language does not contradict your oral messages.
4. Use body language to encourage communication. Examples are maintaining eye contact, nodding to show understanding, and leaning forward to indicate interest.
5. Be a good listener. Avoid interrupting the speaker. Listen carefully to the message and to the speaker’s underlying feelings about the subject. Avoid rehearsing your own comments while the other person is speaking. Resist distractions. Give the speaker your total attention. Focus on what is being said, and not how it is being delivered. Avoid monopolising any conversation or discussion.
6. Confirm your understanding. Restate or paraphrase what the speaker said to confirm your understanding. You might say, “Let me see if I understood you correctly. You’re saying that … Is that right?”
7. Be straightforward. Use simple, familiar and precise words. Speak audibly and clearly. Pronounce words correctly. Avoid verbal clutter such as “um” and “ah”. Match your level of communication to that at which the other person is communicating.
8. Use “I” messages to express your emotions without putting other people on the defensive. An example of an “I” message is as follows: “When you failed to return my call as promised, I wasted time waiting for you and this made me feel really angry with you.”
9. Keep an open mind about what is being said. Withhold judgement and evaluation until the speaker has finished. Empathise. Try to see things from the speaker’s point of view.
10. Improve your written communication skills. Adhere to the six Cs of effective written communication: clarity (use simple words and short sentences), conciseness (keep the message as brief as possible), completeness (message has the necessary information), coherence (message organised systematically), correctness (accurate information), and courtesy (tactful and promotes goodwill).
RANJIT SINGH MALHI is a widely-quoted authority on self-leadership, peak performance and soft skills. He has written six books on personal excellence, soft skills and management, three of which have been translated into Arabic.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.