Be A Master Communicator

Master Your Communication

The art of communication is an important skill that everybody will need to master. Communication skill is needed in order to thrive in a society where exchange of views and opinions allow for growth and development. Take for example, leaders of the world will need to be able to communicate well in order to influence and lead their countrymen towards building a better nation. For instance, former President of the United States, Mr Barack Obama, is a skilled communicator and his popularity as the head of the country is acknowledged in the way he impresses upon others his views and ideas. Apart from delivering well-articulated thoughts, Mr Barack Obama knows how to listen and is sensitive towards others as well. This greatly influence the choice of words he used to elicit favourable responses from the audience, as observed in the countless speeches he delivered during his presidency.

Many people aspire to be able to articulate their thoughts well. It is possible, but before we can train to communicate well, we must first identify the factors or common issues that will hinder us from being a great communicator.

1. Differing Views May Lead to Conflict

Every day, we encounter people from all walks of life, who have different views and opinions. Two people may not see eye to eye on the same subject, and this can happen anywhere, be it at the workplace, business and even in relationship. It is only natural that two different individuals have their own views and opinions. It is equally important for both of these individuals to communicate past the differences to make things work. Not addressing differing views through proper communication may lead to conflict. In order to avoid conflict, both parties will need to put in the effort to understand where the other person is coming from.

2. Generation Gap

In our daily communication, we will inevitably come across people from different generations. We may be the millennials trying to communicate with the baby boomers, and the different age group will definitely pose a communication barrier. Those from different generation will have their own lingo and this could increase the tendency of miscommunication and misunderstanding, if nothing is done to bridge the gap.

3. Different Preference in Sensory System

In communicating with others around us, we must be aware that different people have different ability to process information that they receive from around them. Some may be more of a visual person and they communicate best through illustrations of pictures. Others could be more auditory, whereby they are better with spoken words. Professions like deejays, radio hosts, teachers and lecturers are suitable for those under the auditory category. Another group of individual would be the kinesthetics, whereby they prefer body contact and usage of hand gestures to get a point across. Hence, in communicating to another person, it is crucial to identify which category they belong and cater your communication medium to match their preference.

4. Not Building Rapport

The common blunder that many people commit when trying to communicate with others is going straight to the subject matter instead of building rapport with the other party first. In business, this can backfire if the prospect is not ready or open to talk business in the early stage of a meeting. Building rapport is crucial as it serves to break down any barriers to permit further discussion and allow one to understand the other person better.

5. Not Listening Well

One of the most important skill in communication would be listening skill. Most people hear but they don’t listen. Listening requires one to pay attention to the content and decipher the key message the other person is trying to convey. Neglecting this will affect one’s understanding of the other party’s situation and will influence one’s judgement towards the other party.

6. Not Showing Care Towards the Other Party

When a person has a personal struggle and is communicating it to the other party, who does not seem to care, this will cause the person to be defensive and no longer open to share. This will lead to a communication breakdown between these two parties.

7. Different Expectations

Having expectations is normal in any relationship, be it professional or personal. For instance, in a company, if a boss has extremely high expectation and employees are unable to deliver, the employee is not meeting the boss’s expectation. As a result, this could lead to conflict and dissatisfaction. The different expectation level can ultimately lead to low employee engagement.

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Although there are many challenges in communication, however, there is still a cure for that. Just apply some of these tips the next time you communicate with someone and see the magic happen.

1. Take Time to Understand Each Other

When you spend time and the effort to understand others, communication will be made easier. Understanding the other party could mean figuring out their dreams, goals and vision. In order to communicate effectively and build a strong communication platform, take the time to understand someone who is different from you. In the corporate context, it is crucial for an employee to be clear of the boss’s expectations and vision. In business, companies need to understand customer’s needs and wants. This requires taking the time to understand customers. Failing to do so will affect the customer service index (CSI) and also the sales satisfaction index (SSI).

2. Build Strong Rapport

Building rapport will allow you to understand the other person well. Try to put yourself in the person’s shoes and you will discover the reason behind the person having a different view from yours. By building rapport, this will help you to connect emotionally with the person and improve your influence and convincing power. Achieving this will give you an edge to communicate effectively with the other person and increase your likeability and win the person’s favour.

3. Listen with Your Heart

It is always great to practise empathy and listen to the other person with pure interest. Try to understand why the other person is unhappy and find out why the person is behaving in such manner. By doing so, you are putting yourself in a position to make better decision to communicate with the person. Listen to understand and shut out any thoughts or judgement that may influence the way you communicate.

4. Show Care to Others

Do your best to fulfil some, if not all, of other people’s needs. This translates to accommodating others when you communicate with them. You must be willing to give and take. When you do it for the benefit of others, they will reciprocate in return and this will ensure a fruitful communication.

5. Managing Expectations

It is best to be clear of both parties’ expectations in the beginning of every communication. This will help avoid any conflicts from occurring as two different people will have different expectations. Being clear of the expectations will create a ‘win-win’ for both parties, be it in business, relationship or the workplace.

When you attend the Master Communicator programme, you will be taught the art and science of communication. Master trainer Jackson Ng will guide you on the Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) technique that will allow you to read the personality of others and adjust your approach and frequency to suit the person you are communicating with. Jackson Ng will also mentor you on the right body language, as it will influence the communication process as well. Additionally, you will also learn to resolve conflict in communication when dealing with people who have different views from yours. Ultimately, this programme can help you to sell your ideas more effectively and win the hearts of others and lead your team effectively. If you aspire to be a leader in your family and organisation, you will benefit greatly from being a master communicator. To find out more about the Master Communicator Programme, check out our website http://master-trainers.com.my/ or call 082-413033.