By: D’Andre Walker, Intern for The Georgia Way
5 Ways to be an effective communicator
- Focus on your breathing
- Relax your muscles
- Be a team player
- Create a checklist of what you want to discuss
- Actively listen
It takes two to tango, just like it takes two to communicate!
During a conversation, there is a person speaking and there should be a person actively listening (receiver). The person speaking should speak loud and clear; the person listening should be working to understand what the other is trying to share. To ensure both the person speaking and the receiver are on the same page, the receiver should repeat and restate what was said to them.
Communication may come easy to some and to others it could be the hardest thing in the world. When stress is involved, it makes it difficult even for the person who is a great communicator. Thus, increasing the challenge for the person who struggles with communication already. Checking in with yourself before starting a conversation is a great way to gather your thoughts and make sure you don’t let the way you feel impact the conversation. Stress impacts our bodies and minds in many ways. Communication sharing and receiving is no different, as our ability to be effective is diminished in this state.
One day, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and carried that energy to work with me not even noticing it. A simple conversation that I was involved in went wrong. All because I did not check in with myself, the person I was communicating with at work felt my frustration. This could have been easily avoided if I just gathered my thoughts and didn’t let my emotions get the best of me. Rescheduling is not a bad thing if your check-in does not go well but, make sure you do so ahead of time not 5 minutes before the meeting. For me, knowing that I was in a state of frustration, rescheduling would have been a better option.
Communication is more than just saying how you feel it is also understanding what the person across from you is expressing to you. Effective communication is showing a clear understanding of what was told to you by maybe restating what the person said to you. With better communication we can make the world lighter and brighter for ourselves and others!
