Effective Communication quest

By Caven Masuku Communication is a process of giving and taking messages between or among the individuals in order to reach a mutual understanding. On the other hand, communication can be defined as a process where “A” sends information to “B” upon which it has an impact. We communicate all the time to create a common understanding. At times we communicate to maintain “emphatic communion”, that is social relationship. For instance someone can start by saying; “oh it is hot today and am feeling weak”. If the next person respond maybe by saying; “Me too am feeling weak because of this unfriendly weather”, that’s the beginning of it. Here you can agree with me that communication would have been used to open up the channels. Like art, words should be used to entice, to invite and to comfort the second person. At time people do not communicate the way they intended because of lack of communication quests and skills. You can cause an individual to do what you want through the word of mouth. I can be loved, hate, get sympathy, remembered and respected through the verbal message. Anyone who wishes to be an active and competent communicator should be an active listener, sensitive, be prepared, honest and perspicacity. Effective communicators put emphasis on the necessity of being prepared. Preparation in communication includes properly researching, organizing and practicing the presentation of information in advance. People should learn to give themselves time to gather as much information in order to deliver effectively. Reading extensively and searching for the melodious and effective diction which will not be boredom and offend people is most important. Structuring messages provides a couple of benefits to the communicator. First, it helps the communicator ensure they have not forgotten or misplaced any information, aiding in the development of a robust message. Second, the more prepared a communicator is, the more credible they appear, and the more likely the recipients of their message are to accept the information. There are some individuals who are learned, but who could not communicate effectively. So communication is a talent which should be blended with voracious reading. The world today is more connected than it ever has been. This has created more and more opportunities for people from various walks of life to interact on a regular basis. However, as Hosftede, a leading researcher in intercultural communication, explains, different cultures view the importance of things like time, individualism and assertiveness very differently. Time is precious and is important hence in communication need not to be wasted. Use simple words with less confusion especially in meaning making. Effective communicators take these differences into account, which helps to prevent unnecessary offenses and conflict. Effective communicators understand the importance of honesty. Open, honest communications facilitate trust and lead to more productive conversation. On the other hand, dishonest communication can lead to confusion, frustration and a large amount of conflict. Effective communicators do their best to be as honest and open as possible when they engage with other individuals. People should learn to be as pellucid as the manner as it demands. Try not to rush and misguide people with your speech, but rather move with them and understand their concern through your words. Individuals should note the difference between listening and hearing. The former is more important than the latter. The University of Missouri found that over 80 percent of our waking hours are spent communicating, and 45 percent of that time, we are listening. Most people aren't very good listeners. They espouse bad or passive listening habits such as false listening, allowing their environments to distract them, or defensively coming up with arguments against the message instead of actually processing it. Effective communicators use active listening habits, including making a mental summary of the points presented, and paraphrasing the information after it is presented to ensure they understand what has been said. You can stop the speaker and find out whether what he intend to communicate with you correspond well with your understanding. Communication expert John Borg found that 93 percent of communication is based on nonverbal behaviours. This means that the way you present a message is likely more important than what the message is when it comes to determining whether or not it will be accepted by the listener. Nonverbal behaviours may include facial expressions, posture, gestures, eye contact and vocal variations. Effective communicators will use nonverbal behaviours to compliment, and not detract from, their message. For example, crossing your arms and avoiding eye contact makes you look defensive and untrustworthy, while putting your hands on your hips and speaking in a high pitched voice makes you seem aggressive. Using selective, open palmed gestures, smiling and maintaining consistent eye contact can make you seem confident and honest. Colours of our cloth also add to the message we decipher to the listeners. Those intending to be in the profession of Public relation, Communications, Marketing, Advertising and Politics should master the art of communication well in order not to misguide their followers. Communication is an art that everyone should master in life. Most people I have been communicating with ended up asking for more than I intended not because I am good , but just because I know what to say, how to say it and when to say it. Oh! , timing again is more important in communication. You need to disseminate the right message at the right time to the right people. Please for any comments you are welcome and I promise to take your suggestion and comments serious. I hope this will find you all well.