#4: The Eight Elements of Effective Communication
Effective communication is the sending and receiving of messages from one person to another
- 1IdeaMaking sure you send ideas or packets of information at an understandable pace. Too many can overload the receiver.
- 2PersonWho are you sending information to? What’s their level of understanding? What’s their level of education? Tailoring it to your audience increases the chances it will be received and understood.
- 3IntentionIs all about saying, looking and sounding like you mean what you are saying (see the learning byte on Impact for more information.
- 4AttentionGetting and giving attention is sometimes hard. Stay present to what’s going on and take action if necessary.
- 5Active ListeningInvolves focusing on the person you are listening to and not what’s going on in your own head
- 6UnderstandingFollows naturally from Active Listening. Simply because it gives you the opportunity to ask if there’s something you don’t understand.
- 7UcknowledgementConfirms to the sender that the message is received and understood. Remember, on the telephone, you need to verbalise the acknowledgement as the sender won’t see your nods.
- 8SpaceRelates to the pauses you take in your communication.
Top Tips
- Stay conscious of (or present to) how your communication is being received
- Notice where your focus is in any communication
- Develop flexibility in your communication style to achieve consistently better results
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