Communication: Tips

Every living organism communicates. It is an important aspect of relationships. Of all the living organisms, only humans have the ability to include words, accents, syllables and form sentences in their communication. But in spite of this impressive ability humans are the only ones who find it extremely difficult to understand each other. Human communication is misunderstood, misinterpreted and misjudged. This causes a lot of stress both at work and at home. To minimize this problem, let me share a few things that should be remembered while communicating, either verbally or digitally.

Keep it simple – There cannot be a safer way to communicate than following the principle of simplicity. We communicate not to impress but to transfer a message. Using simple words and forming simple sentences ensure efficiency and ease of communication. There is absolutely no point in using, “Why are you perpetually perambulating in the vicinity of the premises?” When a simple “What are you doing here?” will work.
Don’t assume – While communicating don’t assume that the other person is on the same page as you are. While requesting work or a favour it is always advisable not to assume that they have the ability or the knowledge to accomplish what you have asked for. You will save yourself from redoing last-minute presentations if you just stop assuming.
Make your expectations clear – One of the biggest stress points in communication is having unclear expectations. All parties involved must be clear about expectations. The function of communication is to transfer a message. We, however, limit it to transferring only words. If you want a desired outcome then spell out your expectations.
Confirm – Once you communicate something, take a moment to confirm if your message has been understood the way you want it to be understood. Ask questions to confirm if the expectations are clear. We are usually in a hurry trying to navigate our extremely busy schedules. Let us try to confirm what we have communicated before jumping on to something else.

Ensuring right communication can save us from loads of stress and frustrations. Hope these tips help!