Communication “Talk to Them”! I saw a webinar on communication and how it is changing in the world around us.
When I was young, mind you we did have television, but there were no computers or cell phones. The method we used when we talked to someone was to pick up the phone and call, go see them in person or write a letter.The television had all the commercials, but they set it to catchy toons which are still around today. The selling aspect needed to be different. But communication between people was in the form of a conversation.
As I grew up, so did the world around me. People got busier, they seemed to have less time, didn’t go out of their way to catch-up with an old friend, and communication as we knew to was left for special occasions or funerals. Think about it and you know what I am talking about.
Talk to Others
When was the last time you had a good sit down conversation with an old friend? The computer has given us tools to communicate quickly, yet the commercials seem to follow and the good conversation is becoming a Christmas Card once a year.
Email for example was designed to replace the letter and be able to send all sorts of things to our friends and colleagues that would take to long by mail. Now you need to have more than one email, because of the junk and spam that come through. IE: commercials.
People are still looking for that conversation, they want to meet people and catch up with the gossip. How can I know this? Look around at all the social networks out there. You have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Buffer, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, Stubbleupon, Digg, Redit, etc.; then there are quick messages like Hangouts, Messenger, and the list goes on.
How many of them do you have on your smart phone and computer? I would say probably more than you can keep up with sometimes. Is that really good conversation? Or, just gossip.
Shortcuts to communication
The webinar I followed was mainly for selling, but it had some great points for conversations. It was titled “Implementing an Integrated, Mobil-Optimized Customer Communications Experience”. Big headline, they wanted to catch your attention. They talked about the key principles to Simplicity.
- Perceive others needs and expectations. Find out what they need and are expecting. Let them know you can help. Tell them they can do it and help their struggles when they say “What am I doing wrong”. Key is to talk to them, get to know them. Yes you read that right “Talk to them”.
- Boil down and customize, find a mentor that can help in whatever you are doing. People are out there, go and find them, don’t be afraid. Take the time to know what you are doing and where you are going. Did you hear it again? “Talk to them”.
- If you are selling, even if it is yourself to make new friends, make an offer to talk, make it easy to understand using plain language, engage and motivate, and stay consistent with whom you are dealing with. Find out experiences, dream big, and yet keep it tailored to the conversation. Again, “Talk to them”!
Keeping things simple, yet making good use of your time will not only keep you sane, but you will have better relationships and lasting friendships. Remember complexity is a thief of your time. Here are also some effective Communication skills to keep in mind when you are talking with others.
Communication Is Listening
Listening is one of the most important aspects of communication. Successful listening means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also understanding how the speaker feels about what they’re communicating.
- Make the speaker feel heard and understood, this creates stronger connection between the two of you.
- Create an environment where everyone feels safe, here they can express ideas, opinions, and feelings, or plan and problem solve in creative ways.
- Save time by avoiding conflicts and misunderstandings.
Tips for effective listening
- Focus fully on the speaker
- Avoid interrupting
- Avoid seeming judgmental.
- Show your interest
Communication is Nonverbal communication
When we communicate things that we care about, we do so mainly using nonverbal signals. Wordless communication, or body language, includes facial expressions, body movement and gestures, eye contact, posture, the tone of your voice, and even your muscle tension and breathing. The way you look, listen, move, and react to another person tells them more about how you’re feeling than words alone ever can.
- You can enhance effective communication by using open body language—arms uncrossed, standing with an open stance or sitting on the edge of your seat, and maintaining eye contact with the person you’re talking to.
- You can also use body language to emphasize or enhance your verbal message—patting a friend on the back while complimenting him on his success, for example, or pounding your fists to underline your message.
Communication is also managing your stress
However, when stress becomes constant and overwhelming, it can hamper effective communication by disrupting your capacity to think clearly and creatively, and act appropriately. When you’re stressed, you’re more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of behavior.
To deal with stress during communication:
- Recognize when you’re becoming stressed.
- Take a moment to calm down
- Bring your senses to the rescue and quickly manage stress by taking a few deep breaths, clenching and relaxing muscles, or recalling a soothing, sensory-rich image, for example.
- Look for humor in the situation.
- Be willing to compromise..
- Agree to disagree,
Communication is Emotional awareness
Emotions play an important role in the way we communicate at home and work. It’s the way you feel, more than the way you think, that motivates you to communicate or to make decisions.
Emotional awareness provides you the tools needed for understanding both yourself and other people. Although knowing your own feelings may seem simple, many people ignore or try to sedate strong emotions like anger, sadness, and fear.
But your ability to communicate depends on being connected to these feelings. If you’re afraid of strong emotions or if you insist on communicating only on a rational level, it will impair your ability to fully understand others, creatively problem solve, resolve conflicts, or build an affectionate connection with someone.
I have found that I have better friendships and share more with people whom I have had a one on one conversation with. This doesn’t mean that I sat down with them all over coffee, but I chatted and commented on things that they posted.
I really got to know that person without actually getting to know them. But we now have something in common and can relate a lot better through our social networking.
Enjoy your conversations.
Sandy
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