The Art Of Communicating

Communicating is the art of exchanging information with others. It is the ability to convey ideas and feelings to another person or group through a multitude of available vehicles such as speech, writing, or body language. To properly communicate you must be understood. This requires taking into account who you are communicating to, their knowledge of the subject, your capacity to listen, and your ability to convey your message clearly. George Bernard Shaw said, “The problem with communication… is the illusion that it has been accomplished.” Real leaders recognize the value of effective communicating, and concentrate on using all applications in the treasure chest of understanding one another.

A friend told me he has heard a story of mine several times, and asked why I tell it differently on every occasion. I replied to him, “I tell it the same way, but each time you hear it you pay attention to different parts depending on what you are listening to, and your frame of mind.” This was an important lesson to me, as I realized a message has to go beyond your own understanding. You must be aware that what you are communicating may not be what others are hearing. To be a successful communicator, it matters not what you say, but what others hear; for what they hear, in their mind, is what they believe you said.

Miscommunication happens more often than most of us would like to admit. Just when you think you are communicating well, someone will say to you, “I’m sorry, I thought you meant…” or “All this time I thought you were talking about this, not that.” Knowing communication is so complicated, and can be so difficult to accomplish, it is truly amazing we achieve as much as we do. Keep in mind - great leaders are good communicators because they are determined to be so. They plan carefully, deliver their message with clarity, and pay attention to their audience. Below are excellent tips for communicating, and being understood:

Guidelines for Effective
Speaking Communications

Brevity
Tonality
Be Clear
Be Sincere
Good Content
Keep It Simple
Answer Questions
Good Body Language
Speak From the Heart
Understand Who Is Listening

To communicate effectively, it is essential we realize that all people are different, as individuals and in his or her own perception the world as a whole. To be a good communicator, you must focus on others. There are times when you think others understand you; however, you must realize what you said is probably not what they heard, either because you did not make it clear or they misunderstood. Excellent communicators know how to listen, observe, and measure how clearly they are communicating.

The above is taken from Gary Bergenske's soon to be released book, "Campaigh to be a Better Leader"