Communication Skills…… CHECK

 

When considering the importance of communication, the bottom line is,  the better you are with communicating, the higher your chances are to succeed.  Not only are your chances of success higher, but you will also be effective with the following:

 

• Persuading people
• Influencing others
• Negotiating effectively
• Provide respected feedback.

 

You can also inspire, motivate and encourage your team. You will possess the ability to convey your ideas better to your boss, make interesting conversation. network easier and you can speak to groups of people with self-confidence and credibility. The better your communication skills, the greater success you can achieve. The importance of communication skills cannot be understated.

 

Communication is truly achieved when the sender and the receiver share an understanding of what is truly being stated. But many find effective communication easier said than done.

 

Communication has two parts. The first part  is the communicator and how effective the message can be conveyed to the listener. The second is how well the listener receives the message. The message will not be successful if there is misunderstanding, misinterpretation or confusion .

 

To help with communicating effectively, consider using this check list to assess your communication skills.

 

ð Focus

 

* Do you pay complete attention to others when they are speaking?

* Do you manage your thoughts during a conversation, focusing them on understanding what the other person is saying? (Effective listening requires more concentration than any other form of communication. If you’re thinking about anything other than what the person is saying, you’re defeating your ability to understand.)

* Do you postpone preparing your reply until after you have heard everything the other person has to say? (Thinking about what you plan to say while the other person is speaking prevents you from understanding what that person is saying.)

* Do you ignore distractions, such as other people, ambient noise, and the surroundings? (Attending to distractions makes you appear uninterested, unfocused, and rude.)

* Do you make eye contact during a conversation? (Watching a person’s face shows that you’re paying attention. You also gather nonverbal messages, which can convey most of the important information being conveyed to you.)

 

ð Environment

 

* Do you convey confidence, courage, and strength during your conversations? (A pleasant manner will encourage people to trust you and tell you more. Negative behavior conveys weakness, insecurity, and fear.)

* Do you react calmly to bad news? (Anger frightens people into avoiding you.)

* Do you encourage others to speak freely? (Appearing interested, asking questions, and treating others with respect encourages open communication.)

* Do you use a diplomatic, positive vocabulary? (Talking about what you want is more forceful than talking about what you don’t want, won’t do, or can’t do. This means that you will avoid using the word “not.”)

* Do you seek solutions? (Seeking approval, culprits, or excuses, discourages communication.)

 

ð Clarity

 

* Do you stick to the subject? (Introducing new unrelated issues confuse the other person and degrades the quality of your conversation.)

* Do you maintain a “you” focus? (Speak in terms of what the other person needs, wants, and understands because that enhances the impact of what you say.)

* Do you avoid games? (Asking trick questions, setting traps, and making others look bad will cause people to avoid you.)

* Do you use a linear, logical approach to explaining things? (Make it easy for others to understand what you’re saying because it’s more efficient.)

* Do you use common terms? (Avoid jargon and flowery speech because these impress only the person using them.)

 

Applying this checklist can assist you with your communication, and also becoming an effective leaders.