Page 76 - PR Communication Age January-June2020

Effective Communication

What is effective commu- and your overall social and emotional what is being said, not contradict it. If
health. you say one thing, but your body lan-
nication?
guage says something else, your lis-
Effective communication is about What's stopping you from tener will likely feel that you're being
more than just exchanging informa- dishonest. For example, you can't say
tion. It's about understanding the emo- communicating effec- "yes" while shaking your head no.
tion and intentions behind the informa- tively?
tion. As well as being able to clearly Common barriers to effective Negative body language. If you dis-
convey a message, you need to also agree with or dislike what's being said,
listen in a way that gains the full mean- communication include: you might use negative body language
ing of what's being said and makes the Stress and out-of-control emotion. to rebuff the other person's message,
other person feel heard and under- When you're stressed or emotionally such as crossing your arms, avoiding
stood. overwhelmed, you're more likely to eye contact, or tapping your feet. You
misread other people, send confusing don't have to agree with, or even like
Effective communication sounds like it or off-putting nonverbal signals, and what's being said, but to communicate
should be instinctive. But all too often, lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns effectively and not put the other per-
when we try to communicate with oth- of behavior. To avoid conflict and mis- son on the defensive, it's important to
ers something goes astray. We say one understandings, you can learn how to avoid sending negative signals.
thing, the other person hears some- quickly calm down before continuing a
thing else, and misunderstandings, conversation.
frustration, and conflicts ensue. This Effective communication
can cause problems in your home, Lack of focus. You can't communicate skill 1: Become an engaged
school, and work relationships. effectively when you're multitasking. If listener
you're checking your phone, planning
For many of us, communicating more what you're going to say next, or day- When communicating with others, we
clearly and effectively requires learn- dreaming, you're almost certain to often focus on what we should say.
ing some important skills. Whether miss nonverbal cues in the conversa- However, effective communication is
you're trying to improve communica- tion. To communicate effectively, you less about talking and more about lis-
tion with your spouse, kids, boss, or need to avoid distractions and stay fo- tening. Listening well means not just
coworkers, learning these skills can cused. understanding the words or the infor-
deepen your connections to others, mation being communicated, but also
build greater trust and respect, and Inconsistent body language. Nonver- understanding the emotions the
improve teamwork, problem solving, bal communication should reinforce speaker is trying to convey.

"Loving you, I understood myself."

76 PR COMMUNICATION AGE January - June 2020