EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION is an art that requires a great deal of balance and intuition. Think before you speak, develop the discipline not to lash out, and a plethora of solutions will unveil.
Communicating effectively is an important element to success in both our personal and professional lives. Most people struggle with good communication and this is largely due to the way we were raised. In school we study math and science, but rarely do we study communication. As adults very few of us remember trigonometry or calculus and yet we live in a world in which communication is the foundation for all relatedness. Successful relationships lead to success in business and life. To communicate effectively we must become aware of our intentions, our desires and the impact of our words and most importantly our non-verbal behavior. Many studies suggest that the vast majority of communication is non-verbal. Therefore we must learn to be consistent both in our words, our thoughts, and our actions. This takes time, patience, and practice.
Communication can just as easily create or resolve problems. Therefore paying attention to our delivery is the difference between moving forward with an idea and getting your partner(s) on board or alienating him (them). It’s important to be clear when communicating an idea or feeling, and it takes a great deal of practice and courage to do so. Even though we run the risk of being misunderstood, and sometimes inviting defensiveness and hostility, it is essential that we consistently create the opportunities to have pragmatic dialogue with our life or business partners. This is often difficult and sometimes may not work at all, however, the experience of trying, practicing, and getting feedback will eventually lead to mastery. Simply said, create a safe environment for others to express themselves freely so that we may experience a two-way conversation. In the most extreme scenario, sometimes being unable to communicate effectively after several tries may result in walking away temporarily or permanently.
