Let’s start this first post with a question: What does effective communication mean? In my opinion, effective communication basically means communication which can convey the speaker’s intentions over to the listener without misinterpretation.
Now that I had established my interpretation to avoid a misinterpretation of an effective communication, let this post delve deeper into my mind about the importance of being skillful at communicating. A point to note, this is an example of being both not Concise and a bit unClear.
Effective communication is important for me due to this simple, albeit the most important fact, that it can Clearly convey the true message that the speaker had in mind. If the speaker were to give an ambiguous or unclear sentence due to poor skills, this would open the sentence to a wide variety of (mis)interpretation. However, in the hands (or tongues for technicalities sake) of skillful communicators, some sentences were meant to be a pun or double entendre. However, that is for another time and another post.
Besides, it is important to grasp your listeners’ attention until your story has been fully delivered. Therefore, when there is a need to speak, instead of a want, the speaker must make the story Concise. Survey shown had established that most people only listened to 25%-50% of the conversation. Therefore, it is important not to push your luck with dinosaur-stories (an example of a pun to grandfather’s story). It is improbable for a listener to exactly interpret your message if the listener was to listen to a small part of the story.
Furthermore, to be able to communicate effectively, one would be able to influence just about anyone else with their precise usage of charismatic words. How did the great leaders of modern times influenced their people to do great deeds? How did leaders calm the spirits of their embattled people in times of crisis? We’ve seen it all being portrayed in the movies. We’ve experienced it first hand when our leaders approached us indirectly during the 1997 crisis. It is through their speeches. It is through the use of words. And to deliver such words with such impact, one would need to bring it out across effectively. Of course, these leaders also followed through with action and not just plain talk. However, to put any plan into motion, one would need to mobilize whatever resources which are needed.
Therefore, while one indeed needs to walk the talk, one also needs to talk the talk so big that it may seem improbable, but possible. A talk so tall, that their walk has the room to take titanic strides, and take them to places of great heights. Oh yes, this is a case of being not Concise, but I’m just being creative with these clichéd phrases.
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ReplyDeleteCongratulations! You put the "Cs" to good use after just we had learnt yesterday.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, one should try not to be long-winded despite the best of their intentions to constantly remind us in case we forget. This is especially so when our mothers "nagged" at us to follow their instructions with their favourite cliches "it is for your own good". Unfortunately, most of the time, we rebel instead and deviate from them. Being inconcise can be also very tragic, it can break a family apart with husbands saying that their wives are too noisy and long-winded at home that it turned them on to go look for other women outside.
Nevertheless, being too concise can also have its disadvantages especially when the doctors and pharmacists do not explain much in details about the medicine prescribed and the disease state to the patients. Here, clarity and the right consciseness plays an important role.
To add on to your "Cs", Complaining can be negative in the wrong Context but in the right Context, it can be beneficial and aids people to improve!
Cheers!
Hi Wai Chii. I agree with you that most people listen only to 25 to 50% of a conversation. This is despite how much someone can be attentive to the speaker.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I do encounter such experiences in my daily lives. That is why, I would reiterate the speaker's point, by interrupting the conversation at certain times. I would try my best to do so at the appropriate time, probably when the person is pausing for a moment.
I like messages to be concise - short and sweet. If someone is going to speak continuously without stopping to ask questions like, "Do you get my point?", "Do you need me to repeat again?", I might not be able to fully decode the message.
Let's apply this to our daily lives as students. During lectures, most professors had to talk endlessly for an hour or so, before a short break would be given after that. I do understand that they might have to complete the syllabus on time, and therefore would seldom entertain questions from the student audience. Therefore, most people would take down shorthand notes to reinforce what they have been listening for the past hour.
This skill might be a part of active listening, in my opinion. It need not be practised with the mouth, but instead with a pen and paper
Heys Wai Chii, your english is "power" even though you tended to "deliberately" make your first blog seem unConcise and unClear, which I strongly believe is not the case in a good way.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea in emphasizing what you have learnt in class, like the 2Cs out of the 7, the point about the double entendre and the 25-50% stats figures.
However, your blog is the second one that I've read so far, and 2 blogs are enough unfortunately to make me ponder this question. Is the power of effective communication really so great as to make anyone and everyone sway to your will, or is it overblown? I do admit that certain leaders have helped a lot in times of economic crises by giving rousing speeches, but apparently this is not always the case too. Just look at Mr Obama, (don't get me wrong cos I have utmost respect for him as a politician and a moral figure) he may have won probably the greatest number of hearts in America's history, but those who support him have declined rapidly over just the course of some months. I'm not saying his policies are wrong, but unfortunately they are just too drastic for many man-in-the-street to swallow. And this is so even with his honest and great speeches and his unfailing effort to try to bring the U.S. out of the recession. Of course, maybe in the end Obama will save the day and become a hero, but it does show that rousing speeches and action are not miracles that guarantee 100% success, isn't it?
Hi Wai Chii,
ReplyDeleteGood language.
I agree and like your idea that great speakers can use their communication skills to influence people. I always wonder how to become a charismatic leader like Obama, now I have a rough idea of it.
Apart from this, do you mind to share with us why are you taking Es2007s? : )
Hey everyone,
ReplyDeleteI may seem inactive (which I really am not) due to the breakdown of the LAN network, which sadly still isn't fixed yet.
Pearkin, the fact that we don't listen when (usually elder) people say "it's for your own good" are usually caused by both parties being too emotional. Both parties have their own idea, yet none willing to Choose to understand the other. I observed many times that people Choose not to understand something, rather than they just don't understand it (of course, algebra and calculus are an entirely different matter).
Masamune, I guess it's that I believe quite a lot in the power of words, which is hugely due to a weakness I observed generally in people. Words can sway many of the mightiest hearts, yet effective and properly calculated actions need to follow sooner or later to properly fix those hearts in the direction being pointed towards. If one could not access the resources needed, how then does one put the plans into motion? The people's power is a powerful resource. Either results from actions or words can mobilize this power. Obama could be just a little bit too drastic, but it is just time that he needs to buy right now.
Oh, I could go on till the Seven Seas (alright, this a lame pun at the 7Cs), but I'm afraid I could write a novel out of it.
Great post. It actually helps to summarise many points that we have learnt in class and this fact shows that you are quite attentive, getting more than 50% of the stuff discussed in class.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to find the right words and way of conveying them depends on good listening skills. If you really listen (and observe) well, you can understand not only the main meaning but also tune into the person's feelings.
ReplyDeleteI read an article written by a professional negotiator and he claimed that most of the time people are guided by their hearts or intuition rather than their heads and most of what people say is not true.
Therefore. by becoming adept at reading people's emotions, you can begin to choose the right words for the best outcome.
Mrs Richardson