First understand,
then be understood
The key to effective communication
The idea of your thoughts coming directly to someone else…. it’s like Startrek. Yet research shows it is possible. Researchers had participants use brain activity to successfully communicate simple words like “ciao” and “hola” to each other via systems. A participant in India thus communicated with someone in France without talking or typing. An impressive experiment, but applicable in everyday work is still a long way off. Until then, effective communication remains dependent on something that is readily available: empathy.
Empathy
Empathy greatly determines how your message lands. Consider presentations that begin with: “Good afternoon, I am Jan Janssen. I am CEO at organization X and am going to tell you something about topic Y.” Your attention sinks immediately because this information adds nothing. The same goes for emails with vague subject lines or colleagues who skirt around something for a long time before asking their question.
In moments like these, empathy is missing from the person who starts the communication. The sender does not take into account what you already know, what you need or what you are working on at that moment. The result is predictable: you listen less attentively and drop out more quickly. If you do immerse yourself in the perspective of the other person, you attract attention from the very first moment and get more return from every form of communication. To boost your personal effectiveness, here are a few tips for effective communication.
1. Create a program
Whether you are writing, presenting or preparing a talk, start by defining your core. What does the other person absolutely need to know? What comes next? What information is nice to impart but not a priority? By sorting first, you bring structure and avoid straying.
2. See the bigger picture
Once the core is in place, zoom out. What is going on with the recipient? What stimuli require the most attention right now? What aligns with his or her goals? By having this in focus, you consciously choose what to tell and especially what to leave out.
3. Get off to a good start
A strong opening determines whether someone will keep listening. Therefore, choose a beginning that is relevant and appealing to the other person. That could be a clear subject line, a stimulating first sentence or a direct link to something your colleague is currently working on. The better your start, the easier the rest will follow.
Want to further strengthen your communication? Then check out our Effective Communication training program.
