Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place to another. It may be vocal, written, visual or non-verbal, using body language, gestures, the tone and pitch of voice. The ability to communicate information accurately, clearly and as intended is a vital life skill and something that should not be overlooked. It’s never too late to work on your communication skills and by doing so, you may well find that you improve your quality of life.
Professionally you will almost certainly need to demonstrate good communication skills. Communication skills are needed to speak appropriately with a wide variety of people while maintaining good eye contact.
In your personal life, good communication skills can improve your personal relationship by helping you to understand others and be understood. Communication is also vital in wider family relationships, whether you want to discuss arrangements for holidays, or ensure that your children are well and happy. The ability to listen is also a very important element for good and effective communication. A good listener is attentive, they don’t interrupt what the other person is saying and show an interest in what is being communicated.
Some people can understand how to communicate without even trying hard. They can tailor their language, tone, and message to their audience, and get their point across quickly and in a way that it is heard and understood. They can pick up messages sent to them rapidly, understanding both what is said and what is unsaid.
The transfer or the transmission of a message from the sender to the receipt can be affected by many things. These include the emotions, the current situation of the sender and the recipient, the medium used to communicate, and the location.
The complexity is why good communication skills are considered so desirable by people all over the world.
Communication has few parts: the sender, the message and the recipient.
When there is more than one recipient, each person may receive and understand the same message in a different manner. Sometimes what the sender intends is never the message that the recipient understands. That’s why they say communication is very crucial, in whichever mode it is transmitted, Choice of words and choice of the tone has a lot to influence the message.
Face-to-face communication always stresses on eye contact, so the message is understood and delivered in the right manner.
Misunderstanding can occur at any stage of the communication process. Effective communication involves minimizing potential misunderstanding and overcoming any barriers to communication at every stage of the process.
A good communicator understands their audience and chooses the appropriate communication channel and delivers the message in an effective manner to reduce the misunderstanding by the recipient.
Most of the time, they also ask for feedback from the recipient to ensure that the message is understood and attempt to correct any misunderstanding or confusion.
Think about the situations that you’ve said something to your spouse or a friend, and your meaning was entirely misconstrued. Or an occasion when someone said something that hurt your feelings, only to learn later they had no idea how their words wounded you.
Even thou communication seems simple and straightforward, most of the times it is misunderstood and misinterpreted which results with wounded feelings in personal and professional relationships.
Hence, always ensure that there is clarity in your communication.