Many people think that communicating with others involves transferring a precise piece of information from one mind to another; in reality nothing could be further from the truth, words, gestures and expressions do not, in themselves have meaning, however people have meaning for them.

Successful Leaders have developed the skill of being able to express themselves

It has been said that communication is a two-way process a sharing of ideas and thoughts between people; for communication to be effective we must not only learn how to send our message but also how to receive a response.

Communication, the fundamentals

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

The basic reason for any type of communication is to prompt some form of behavioral response or action; quite often we discover that what we say or do does not always bring out the kind of response that we want. Before ideas can be accepted, they must be known and understood clearly by the listener.

The role of Emotions in effective communication

Exchanging facts is only a part of the process; the feelings and emotions that develop during the course of conversation strongly influence the behavior of all involved and ultimately the very outcome of communication.

Emotional factors that affect a conversation / communication

• How you feel about the other persons ideas.
• What you believe the other persons feels about your ideas
• How the other person feels about your ideas
• What the other person believes you fee about their ideas

Empathy, the KEY to successful communication

Empathy is understanding; once you understand the role that emotions play in communication, you will begin to put yourself in the other persons shoes, if you really seek to understand, you will be amazed at how positively people will respond to you. When you can present your ideas clearly, specifically and in terms that breed acceptance and understanding and by focusing on the needs of others you will develop empathy in your communications.

Fundamental principals of successful communication

• The human mind functions in a very orderly fashion. It can only concentrate on one thought at a time.

If you attempt to communicate a number of ideas rapidly and in illogical sequence, the listeners mind will have great difficulty trying to follow and understand what is being said.

• The human mind transposes words into pictures.

Because words mean different things to different people, the responses that they produce may not be the same for everyone. As you better understand the needs of others you will use words that elicit an emotional response in harmony with those needs, thereby enhancing communication.

• Too many words will clutter up communication

When we fail to condense and simplify our communication, we leave the door wide open to time consuming misunderstanding and undesired response.

Always take care to insure that your objective in communicating is to develop mutual understanding, not to impress someone, or to make yourself appear smart by making someone else look stupid.

As Steven Covey, the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People says, Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

My name is Dominick Borzomati. Since 1993 I have empowered and enlightened individuals and organizations to greatly improve their performance, expand their capabilities and enhance their ability to achieve worthwhile purposes. All of my clients achieve the outcomes they have set for themselves. I deliver RESULTS! I am a BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COACH