We have been communicating ever since we were born and yet we have issues in mastering it.
Had the new born kid not cried and demanded attention in the language it best conveys and the mother best understands; may be a mother wouldn’t have been that serious in feeding it.
If we do not communicate properly, precisely, timely and adequately chances are that we may not get what we want and others may never know what we wanted, for, it would have been too late.
Be it office, house or anywhere else, communication does matter. What adds value and meaning to the way we communicate are:
- When do we communicate,
- How much do we communicate,
- To whom do we communicate,
- What do we communicate,
- Where do we communicate,
- Why do we communicate
Since our body communicates much more than we do verbally/orally and or by writing, we need to be careful, cautious and calculative on what is perceived of us by the audience who so ever it may be.
Apart from the typical sender, receiver and the medium in communication models that most of the books and webs sites provide, communication revolves around commitment, mannerisms, you and me, action and impact.
- If there’s no commitment and conviction in one’s communication it would lack assertiveness and would lose steam in a short duration,
- If there are no proper mannerisms, it may offend someone and or you may not defend your communiqué and leave you high dry with no support,
- Communication has a “you and I”. In other words a sender and a receiver and be aware on these actors, they matter a lot.
- There could be hidden unknown, unperceived and not thought of receivers as well. Be watchful for non-living recipients too, you never know what you quote and what is made out of it.
- Always be watchful not to communicate which is hurtful to the feelings and faith of people
- Never indulge in sarcastic humor it has long term injuries but then it does have short term fun
- The action and impact expected out of your communication is the crux. Use the options of the medium aptly for impact. If you are communicating verbally and or written the choice of words matter, if you are communicating via your body, the gestures as minute as your eyes, eyebrows and eye bats matter.
The art of communicating is journey in itself, work on mastering and you will soon realize a life is short for it.
Ananth HV
Vice President – Education