Note: Should there be any grammatical inconsistencies, please leave a note. I am open to learning and I would love to hear your views.
Since I was a little child, I have never ceased to dream of becoming an excellent communicator in every sense of the word. All I wanted to be was not only someone who exudes the charm to keep people in the audience at awe but also to be one who possesses intellectual gab. I wanted to be someone who could influence people not in a forceful but in a more gentle and subtle way. However, as time passed by, I realized that it wasn't just all about conquering the stage! The stage is not the ultimate platform to showcase your being an effective communicator.
As I was learning the ropes of communication, I came to a realization that the genuine effectiveness of human communication is measured not by how many people who get amazed with what you say but by the preponderance of people who listen to you and have tried their best to be like you. With this, I am proud to say, despite the qualms I have in myself, that I have already encountered a lot who told me that they wanted to be like me. It is indeed such a great accolade to be taken as someone else's inspiration, isn't it?
Anyway, so much about this soliloquy! I want to share with you some of my thoughts how to become an effective communicator! Some of the ideas here maybe are the same with the others but believe me, I learned them through my personal experiences.
Let me begin.
It is very important for a person to understand that the meaning of the language is not always in words but it's with people. What I am trying to insinuate is the fact that there are instances when miscommunication happens not because you say something wrong but because the receiving end has a different interpretation of the message you want to convey. Do not just be careful with the words you use but also with the way of your utterance - I mean the way you express your thoughts.
This also implies that you need to consider the thought that you want to convey. In other words, you have to think first before you speak. I want you to take note that fools just talk but wise men speak. Freedom of speech does not necessarily mean you have the very right to say what you want but it means that you have to be responsible with what you say. Make it sure that what comes out from your mouth is well thought of. This of course is in its deep sense. Thinking first before speaking allows you to actually organize your thoughts. In this manner, you avoid the tendencies of crossing the borders, of offending someone unintentionally, of stating irrelevant comments, or at worst saying something that is too irrelevant.
In addition, other speakers think that they are good at communication when they can rule out a conversation. Wrong notion, bad idea. Communication is not all about speaking. It also requires one to listen. Remember that communication is always a two-way process. This means that one has to listen for him to provide the necessary feedback or response to a message conveyed or the other end tries to bring across. However, this doesn't mean that in a conversation, you just stop talking and expect the other to talk. This is how you do it. If you want a person to get involved in a more active communication, you should know how to at least convert a statement into a question so the person would be encouraged to talk as well. For example, instead of saying " Wow! The weather is great.", it would actually be better if you would say, "We couldn't ask for a better day, could we?" And believe me a very nice conversation will start to unfold. Try it for you to experience it.
Face-to-face communication is still the most favorable form of human communication. This is despite the fact that the use of technology has offered convenience and ease especially in long distance communication. When you have a problem or conflict with your friend, do not just be contented by extending your apologies through text or phone call but try to make an effort to actually reach our personally to talk things over. Remember that it takes more than 5 minutes to appease a broken heart and ailing soul. The same way that goes when you plan to resign from your job or when you want to demand for a raise!
I understand that honesty is the best policy. It is nice to be honest. But this does not necessarily mean you have to just say everything true about anything that you see without considering the tone of your expression. Honesty and positivity make an uncompromising match to win people's adulation. Take note that people understand easily when they are not emotionally burdened or upset. This means that understanding your message comes easier when you express it in a more positive way. Which comment do you think would students appreciate more: "You do not understand my instruction. You are simply stupid!" or "All right. I understand you have exerted your best and I appreciate it. However, I believe that your performance could have been better only if you tried to understand the details of my instruction." You want to be honest but do not be negative.
Finally, it is important that you are able to express your thoughts in a more concise and quick manner. Beating around the bush does not amuse a listener but rather cause their mental menstruation. I know this one just makes you barf out! Do not use the most difficult word you know when it is inappropriate and when it doesn't serve any purpose at all. After all, communication is not about impressing the people with the difficult words you know. It is about how much did you say did people understand. If you can say "thank you for the invitation" why bother saying "I would like to express my heartfelt felicitations to you for requesting my presence in this occasion." This however, is a case to case basis. What I am trying to point out is with my first statement is that if you can express your thoughts in 5 words, why bother making use of 50 words to express the same thought?
Now, I want you to try these things out and tell me what happened after. I would love to know your views too.
Thanks for reading.
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