We, as humans, have a number of ways to communicate with our fellow beings. We use verbal language, sign language, written messages and body language to convey our point of view to the person who is listening. This process is known as communication, and it occurs not just in personal life, but also in professional life.
People who are good listeners and know how to convey a message clearly and concisely to the other person possess effective communication skills. Not only do they understand the verbal language, but also pay attention to the non-verbal or body language being conveyed by the sender of the message. In this article, we are going to explore what is the definition of good communication and learn about some basic skills to make this process more effective.
What is the Definition of Good Communication?
Good communication involves successful exchange of message between two people when the sender is able to convey it in an effective way and the receiver is able to understand it precisely. It starts with your level of confidence and your body language and moves on to active listening and showing respect and empathy towards the other person’s opinions.
Equally important in good communication is honesty and authenticity. We can’t expect a communication to turn out well if we put on false airs or pretend to be someone we’re not. One thing that must be present in effective communication is truthfulness and trust. If we don’t trust the other party, we are never going to believe what they are trying to tell us.
There is Always a Possibility of Conflict or Disagreement in Communication.
You may not agree to what the other person might be saying, but that doesn’t mean you have to convey your disagreement in a negative way. Such a behavior disrupts the normal and effective communication process and ends up in misunderstandings, resentment and bad feelings.
Imagine a situation where two people who are involved in an intimate relationship fall into such a trap and end up badly hurting themselves. This occurs when they are unable to understand each other’s point of view or don’t know how to resolve a conflict.
Effective communicators know how to avoid conflict altogether but if they still encounter such a situation, they immediately come up with a solution to resolve it. This is the beauty of human communication because we have so many ways to handle different types of situations.
We can put a stop to whatever we are saying and start listening to the other person. Or use body language, such as moving closer to the other person or patting their shoulder, to show that we understand. Or we may simply nod our head in approval and smile affectionately to let the other person know that we care.
Body Language Plays a Vital Role in Effective Communication.
When you are able to show your emotions without saying a word, you can regard yourself as a good communicator. This also involves mirroring the other person’s facial expressions and emotions, such as smiling and laughing. These non-verbal cues tell the other person that you feel connected to them on some level. At times, you need to keep the conversation going even if there is nothing special to talk about.
This shows your ability to create and maintain a friendly atmosphere in a gathering or a meeting. This type of small talk is much needed in business and social settings. You may not be looking for long-term or meaningful relationships, but you do have the intention of putting people at ease.
Good Communication is Not Possible if You are Not Adequately Knowledgeable About a Particular Topic at Hand.
You will soon start feeling at a loss for words and this ends the conversation abruptly. Being prepared and having a good level of knowledge helps to exchange meaningful messages and also keeps the other person interested for a long time.
There can be many forms of communication, from oral and direct to video conversation and email. You can take different steps to improve your communication in any of these forms and use tools to make it more effective and worthwhile.
It is Important to Use the Right Tools for Improving Communication.
For example, if you’re a part of a video teleconference your facial expressions are more important than your body language. In addition, you need to add certain pauses and stops in your conversation to make it more clear and concise.
Since time is usually short for these types of conversations, you must not introduce long sentences and unnecessary details that serve to waste the valuable time of others. Similarly, in a conversation with a minor, you must not use difficult jargon or language they won’t understand to make this communication more effective.
All these Efforts to Make a Communication Effective and Fruitful Have a Positive Effect on Your Relationships.
Your partner will be happy with you because you are able to understand their commands precisely and come up with effective responses. When you’re dealing with a client, and you know the effectiveness of active listening, you are able to elicit their requirements in a better way. In case of a personal relationship, if you know how to avoid conflict and keep the conversation moving in the positive direction.
Conclusion.
Our relationships – personal as well as professional – are affected by our ability to communicate well. Anyone can become a good communicator by learning the basic elements of effective communication between two people. From active listening and showing respect to interpreting a message through emotional intelligence and keeping the tone of your voice soft, these elements teach us how to convey our message clearly to the other person and also understand and respect their logic.
Good communication involves asking a great deal of questions if you don’t understand something. This invites an effective dialog between two people that often results in great outcomes. Everyone can take appropriate steps to improve their communication whether it is direct oral conversation, written messages or video conferencing.
In this article, we looked at what is the definition of good communication and what are the elements that help to improve it.
Also read the post: What is Public Opinion? Concept and Basics of Formulation.
