Friendships, relationships, businesses and communities are built on communication. Without the ability to communicate, the world will be in disarray, filled with much misunderstanding, breeding loneliness and possibly the exasperation of being misunderstood or judged wrongly.
Effective communication is what makes systems, structures and our relations with others work out smoothly. It is an essential factor for long lasting relationships.
It is such a powerful skill that aids conflict resolution, strengthens bonds between nations, people, and changes the perspective of long standing disputes and disagreements between people or communities.
Life circumstances become better as a result of effective communication. However, the application of this very essential soft skill is based on established understanding and relevance, a skill not many have mastered.
When the value of a skill is established, only then does it appeal to those in need of it. This is so about effective communication.
Does it really hold that much value?
Can it be obtained and mastered by all?
Does it really have the power to resolve conflicts and end long standing wars?
What does “Effective Communication” really mean?
To put to rest some of these questions, let’s explore the definition and attributes that make up the phrase, “Effective Communication.”
Let’s begin with the word ‘Communication’.
‘Communication’ means to exchange information through speaking, writing or some other form of medium. It is also the act of conveying meanings from one entity or group to another, through the use of mutually understood signs, symbols, and semiotic rules.
‘Effective’ means to reach an optimal level, a peak of excellent delivery or performance.
In order words, ‘Effective Communication’ means, exchange of information between parties at an optimal level, where the entities or groups involved have mutual understanding of what is being conveyed and can respond accordingly.
So, effective communication is only established when all parties involved are able to create mutual, accurate and clear understanding of what is conveyed.
Some defining attributes make this possible and without them, it is often impossible to have effective communication and they include these four broad features: Conversation, Sound, Cues and Action.
Let’s examine each of them for more insight.
Conversation
To establish excellent or effective communication. The conversation or message being conveyed needs to be understood by both or all parties involved.
A conversation that is one sided with decisions being set in motion by one party, is an enforcement, not a mutual agreement. Both or all involved must have mutual understanding of the dialogue.
When this is absent, effective communication cannot be achieved and this involves active and attentive listening. This means, listening to respond accurately to the message being conveyed, not just listening to speak in turn.
This is a challenge for many people and organizational leaders, and so the result is, effective communication is never established, breeding dissatisfaction with all involved in the conversation.
In a dialogue, the focal point, challenge or objective must be identified and acknowledged by all involved and then satisfactory solutions and actions can be established.
This is only possible when attentive and active listening is put in play, when conversations and meetings are held.
Sound
Sound gives meaning to a message and strengthens conversations. It is essential in establishing excellent or effective communication, when used appropriately. Sound in terms of the ‘Voice’ and ‘Tone’ of a message, whether spoken, written or conveyed via art or creativity.
The established tone or voice can ultimately determine the meaning of the message being conveyed. It could be deciphered as either compassionate, hostile, mild, suggestive, derogatory, exhilarating, cheerful, gloomy, heated, commanding, weak, strong, assertive, guarded and the list goes on.
Many people, institutions, nations or communities have been able to establish excellent or poor communication, hence developing amazing or terrible relationships as a result of the choice of voice and tone.
This is very critical factor, as interpretation of conversations are often made based on the perceived tone or voice by the conveyor of any message.
Also many great writers have gained mastery of this very important skill in the act of communication, artistically infusing the appropriate voice and tone with their words, creating excellent publications across a genre of books that have stood the test of time and have attracted great readership and rewards.
The ability to identify the appropriate tone or voice for use in various dialogue circumstances or deduce what is being received from others, ultimately helps one understand accurately any conversation. It also helps one identify improvement opportunities for effective communication in active discussions or feedback.
Cues
Cues are so essential in communication and they include verbal and non-verbal cues. These can be easily decrypted from time lapses and body language.
Time lapses, a pause in a conversation, verbal or written (a presence of silence for a period or a written symbol for a dialogue expressed in written words) is often indicative of something, usually an impression or meaning the conveyor wants one to decipher.
Such time lapses could mean disinterest, disregard, a plea for understanding and reconsideration, fear, anger, permission to hear out the other person or party, a gentle nudge towards reflection or appraisal, etc. regarding an already established dialogue or an on going conversation.
Time lapses are typically applied to strengthening an impression regarding information that has already been laid bare by a conveyor. That pause or silence often carries a weight and has meaning in an ongoing conversation.
In the same vein, the body language of a conveyor or the parties involved also expresses and strengthens the meaning of a message, often combined with or without voiced expressions.
The body language may express, pain, weariness, passion, anger, joy, excitement and a variety of emotions that eventually makes a conveyed message more accurately deciphered.
The entire context and content of such conversations enables one to identify differences and the real meaning that should be deduced from such a dialogue.
Actions
For effective communication, one of the most credible ways of deducing if a dialogue has reached a point of mutual understanding by both parties is by the actions that follow.
If the actions that follow are satisfactory and correspond with the resolutions and agreement by all parties or the conveyor of a message in a dialogue, then one can say that effective communication has been established. If not, what may ensue is a lot of friction and resistance.
Many times, individuals pay attention to only what is being said, without paying close attention to the actions that follow as well. In corporate environments as well as social circles, this plays out all the time. When one pays close attention to actions that follow any conversation, then one can understand accurately what is being communicated.
However, it is important to note that these four (4) highlighted features work in harmony and the application or interpretation of just one or some from an active discourse may lead to wrong conclusions regarding a message or due to poor communication.
But when all of these features are applied in sync, it helps in accuracy, clarity, mutual agreement and ultimately, effective communication.
I hope you found this article to be insightful and helpful.
Thank you for reading.
Article by Opeolu Adeyemi.
Corporate Communications and Public Relations Consultant
Founder, Brave Publicity Ink!
Brave Publicity Ink! 