Methods of Communication Essay.
Effective Methods of Communication
COMM/102
Effective Methods of Communication
According to Jim Rohn, (2016),“If you just communicate, you can get by, but if you communicate skillfully you can work miracles.” Good communication skills are required in spite of the growing focus on analytical skills; effective communication begins with leadership communication skills, enhanced through written communication skills, augmented by the ability to effectively decipher non-verbal cues from clients and co-workers.
- Leadership Communication (2017) – The reason leadership communication is important, is because leadership is a communication-based activity.
- Written Communications (2016) – are a part of daily business activity covering all written documents, whether it be letters, text messages, emails, or electronic documents.
- Non-Verbal communication – According to Alvin Plexico, (2017) non-verbal communication begins with the handshake and reminds us nonverbal cues may differ from culture to culture.
Leadership Communication Skills
According to Leadership Communication Styles, (2017) different styles of leadership communication contributes to variations in leadership communication effectiveness. Understanding the importance of personal communication begins with transparency and trust. There are many leadership communication styles; most styles make comparisons between authoritarian and democratic categories of leadership communication. It is recognized effective communication leaders spend time developing the message according to the makeup of the audience.
At the completion of this class, I have a better understanding of leadership responsibility, and I know I will have to practice my leadership communication skills.
Written Communication Skills
According to Bruce Woodcock, written communication involves expressing yourself clearly, using language accurately, construct a logical argument, and summarize your work. He believes there are three elements to effectively write a communication message, beginning with structure, continuing with style and finalize with content (Woodcock, n.d.).
Structure
By developing a good structure, you will be able to express yourself more clearly. It is important to clarify your thoughts and the reason for the communication by identifying key points, facts, and to present information in a logical order with a strong introduction and ending (Woodcock, n.d.).
Style
According to Woodcock chose a style appropriate to the audience, determine how much information and detail they need, and will the audience understand technical terms or should you translate these terms to make yourself understood (Woodcock, n.d.).
Content
Content is the subject topic. There are several things to consider when reviewing the content, is it positive and constructive; is it written to attract the audience attention? Woodstock (Woodcock, n.d.), advises, after editing and revising the content to set it aside for at least 24 hours giving your mind time to digest the information. When you return to it, you will review the content with a fresh view.
Non-Verbal Communication Skills
According to Universal Class (2017), nonverbal communication means a lot of different things especially to those from other cultures. To be an effective communicator, it is necessary to be aware of cultural differences, keeping in mind nonverbal communication is anything that conveys an idea or message from one person to another without using words. Today’s business environment is global and cultural norms define nonverbal communication. Therefore, it is important to remember your body language and gestures are the most obvious forms of nonverbal communication.
Nonverbal cues differ from culture to culture, however, studies have shown there are seven facial expressions that are universal throughout the human race such as anger, contempt, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise (2017).
Conclusion
Effective communication skills are extremely important and demanded in today’s workplace in spite of technical advancements and the growing focus on analytical skills. Expressing your views with clarity, requires practice but, once achieved both conversation and written communication skills will become effortless. Speaking with focus and clarity will naturally get your point across. I believe when self-confidence is low it is best to practice your presentation in front of a mirror paying attention to your body language. Mirror practicing will build your self-confidence and increase your ability to succeed even if you lack public speaking experience. Whether speaking one on one or at to a public gathering, remember they do not need to know the level of your self-confidence. Successful communication begins with leadership, flows through the written word and concludes by displaying confident body language. I don’t know if it was by design or providence this course was scheduled as my last core subject, but it has been a great refresher course on communication skills.
References
Alvin Plexico, (2017) Leadership Communication Styles – The Pros and Cons retrieved from http://online.purdue.edu/comm/masters-in-communication/resources/leadership-communication-styles
Bruce Woodcock, (Woodcock, n.d.) Communication Skills – Writing retrieved from https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/written-communication.htm
Jim Rohn, (2016), Different Effective Methods of Communication, March 1, 2016, retrieved from https://www.educba.com/different-methods-of-communication/
Jeanne Segal, Melinda Smith, and Greg Boose, (Segal, et al., 2017) Nonverbal Communication, retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/nonverbal-communication.htm?pdf=true