How to improve your communication skills.
COMMUNICATION comes in many forms. As leaders, we must develop an acute sensibility to the non-apparent messages that humans send. We must listen, not only with our ears, but our eyes, our hearts, hair follicles, our noses and our intuition.
We must develop the ability to speak and be heard without words. Be understood without gestures. We must pay attention to the nuances of expression on all levels.
Albert Merhabian illustrated this best when he stated that only 7% of our communication is actually through words. The remaining 93% is non-verbal!
All the clues, skills and solutions of relevant and clear communication lie within our awareness and sensitivity to ourselves and the external world (Emotional Intelligence) - it opens doors to connectivity and increased levels of company growth and success. Poor communication can lead to disasters and easily avoidable errors and conflicts.
The more aware we are, the better and more effectively we can send and receive messages.
To further improve your communication skills, always place yourself in the shoes of the receiver, as their perspective might not align with yours. And finally, if not most importantly, it is the responsibility of the communicator to make sure clear and correct communication has been established. The best way to achieve this is by asking the receiver to clearly communicate back what they have understood, bringing everybody on the same page.