October 21st, 2009 
Maria Helm 
Image: Communication by DailyPic
Communication is the way by which we exchange ideas, learn from each other, and perhaps most importantly, connect to each other. The success of our personal and business relationships depends greatly on our ability to communicate.
So why do we ignore the relevance of communication until it becomes an issue? One reason may be because we don’t take the time to understand its true meaning and how we hone such an important skill.
Here’s what I’ve learned so far. You can be a more effective communicator if you follow 5 basic truths.
1. Be Focused and Listen I read New York Times interview with Richard Anderson, CEO of Delta Airlines, a few months ago. Anderson pointed out the importance of listening. Discussions are pointless if no one is listening. Anderson does not like to see his managers checking their BlackBerrys in meetings. Doing so shows lack of “focus” and is akin to reading a newspaper during the meeting, says Anderson. As little as we may tend to oral and written skills, we spend even less time on listening. For that reason, too many managers end up ill informed and, in turn, ill prepared to deal with issues that subsequently morph into problems. Time spent listening might have headed off such disasters.
2. KISS: Keep It Super Simple. The key to effective communication is simplicity. Forget about impressing people with big words or complex sentences. If you want to connect, keep it simple.
3. Know your audience. If you want to become better communicator, become audience oriented. Ask youself these questions: Who is my audience? What are their questions? What needs to be accomplished? How much time do I have?
4. Speak and show the truth. Credibility precedes great communication. Believe in what you say and live what you say. There is no greater credibility than conviction in action.
5. Seek for Response. The goal of all communication is action. Every time you speak to people, give them something to feel, something to remember, and something to do.
“Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn’t even matter.” ~ Gilbert Amelio
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