Perfect communication is essential to make every organization work effectively. Only those who successfully communicate are able to cooperate in order to achieve an established goal. Therefore, managers should strive to achieve the best possible employee
Perfect communication is essential to make every organization work effectively. Only those who successfully communicate are able to cooperate in order to achieve an established goal. Therefore, managers should strive to achieve the best possible employee communication systems, and they should improve those systems as time passes. Such attitude can help come a bit closer to communicative perfection. However, in order to achieve this level effectiveness, much work and experience is needed along with significant employee commitment, regardless of their rank in the company’s hierarchy.
Company communication
The ability to communicate with others is essential to establish proper relations with other people. It is a unique tool that allows us to achieve previously established goals. It is true that communicating is something obvious, and many people have the impression that they mastered this art. However, most of them are simply wrong. The fact that we understood what other members of the team wanted us to understand is not enough. Perfect communication means also persuading, negotiating, suggesting, etc. If we are truly perfect at communicating, we can deal with every situation, even the most complicated one that initially can appear to be impossible to settle. People who understand communicative tools well can successfully pass their message to everyone. What is more, they are able to convince the person they communicate with to consider their opinion on a given matter. One must not confuse communication processes with persuasion, as these are two totally different skills.
Most people fail to flawlessly use communicative tools in business and in private life. The problem might be that we do not use effective tools for communicating, and, what is more, sometimes we create our own, imperfect communication systems that do not lead to success.
Communicative problems
There are many factors that prove to be obstacles in our way to achieve perfect communication. Such factors include:
lack of time
some external difficulties
fatigue and weariness
difficulties caused by other people
individual barriers
The last of the abovementioned factors turns out to be the most serious problem in communication systems. If a person stubbornly rejects new methods of communicating (e.g., a computer based communication system), the whole process will not be able to function the way we intended. Therefore, we should be open to changes which can lead to the improvement of our working conditions.
It is worth noting that sometimes we are not aware of the fact that we, along with our individual barriers, are the ones who are responsible for the ineffectiveness of communication. These personal barriers can be of various kinds. They can be very complex in nature and can be related to many things. It does not mean that we are unaware of those obstacles. Conversely, we have learnt what those communicative barriers are during our numerous courses, trainings, and talks within our company. However, the fact that we are aware of what those problems are does not mean we automatically apply successful countermeasures to deal with them. The fact that we have identified our enemy does not mean that we have defeated him already.
The biggest difficulty on the way to achieving effective communication is our own personality and our approach to the suggested changes. The latter poses the biggest threat to communication. Every one of us has some habits that are deeply rooted in our consciousness. On the surface, we can openly say that we eagerly welcome everything that is new, but our behavior can be quite the opposite. If we prove to be strong enough to introduce some changes to our stereotypes or beliefs, we might achieve perfection in communicating with others.
Where should we begin our work in order to achieve perfection in communication?
If we want to achieve perfection in the field of communication at work and at home, we must be prepared to make some sacrifices. The first step in achieving a total success (so perfect communication) is the change of our own approach. Our individual way of communicating with others is influenced by such factors as:
our mood
our mental and physical state
our psyche
Bad mood can effectively cripple our efforts at making communication successful. If we are emotionally burdened, sad, or full of negative emotions, we will be unwilling to talk with other people. In such a state, it is very easy to cause conflicts and unpleasant misunderstandings which we regret the following day. How should we understand the term approach in reference to other people? This approach is a set of qualities that we show when confronted by people and the world as such. Those qualities include such things as our way of talking with others, the way we perceive other people, etc. Many of us will have difficulties with putting aside prejudices and stereotypes, but such changes are the only way that leads to perfect communication.
Approach means also labeling people. We often judge others on the basis of our initial impressions of a person, even the way he or she looks. We should communicate with others in an open way without trying to foresee the possibilities and arguments of a conversation. If we build a whole scenario of a conversation and prepare ourselves to counter other person’s arguments, we will not succeed in achieving efficient communication. Such actions will only inhibit discussions. The opinions we have on others make us subconsciously treat better the people we know and like, while we approach differently the ones we dislike or are afraid of for some reason. Goodwill proves to be extremely important in conversations. If we are kind towards someone, he or she, usually, responds in a similar manner. Automatically, aggressive and arrogant behaviors during a conversation lead to the formation of similar attitudes and responses among the people we talk with. We have to remember that our actions are mirrored by the people surrounding us. Therefore, in order to achieve perfect communication, we should approach other people in a positive and optimistic manner.
We now know that false impressions of other people are harmful for them and that such prejudices make communication more difficult. Similarly, communication is hampered when we have negative opinions about ourselves, and when we are sure of our incompetence in relation to some matter. The following qualities prove to be problematic when it comes to communicating:
lack of self confidence
shyness
low self-esteem
psychological barriers of various kind
complexes
Low self-esteem is proportional to our perception of what we are able to achieve. In such a case, we feel fear when we talk with others, especially, when we have to deal with some official issues, or when we have to speak with our superiors about a raise in pay. Fear is one of the strongest factors that makes perfect communication impossible. Therefore, we should not be afraid to talk, as there is a higher probability that we will achieve more.
Another step on the way to achieve perfect communication at work is related to coping with the fear of public speaking. Many of us are afraid of being laughed at during a large meeting, even though we might have some interesting and valuable information to share. This type of fear is something completely natural. However, it should be uprooted as early as during childhood. People in the United States pay more attention to this issue. Compared to our children, U.S. kids are more easygoing and energetic thanks to appropriate upbringing.
Polish barriers in communication
We, Poles, are being brought up in an atmosphere that shapes us into timid people with an enormous sense of shame and the fear of expressing our own opinions. Having such background, it is hard to work on achieving perfect communication. Many of our countrymen think that a well qualified and talented person will raise employers’ attention sooner or later. However, if such a person stays hidden all the time, he or she might not be promoted for many years. We have to be aware of our own value, and we have to stress it appropriately. We should try to show our best side to others. This relates to, e.g., active participation in conversations. If we have our own opinion, we should express it out loud. Maybe we will achieve more than we imagined. Remaining silent while others participate in a lively discussion on a topic that is of interest to us will evoke a justified feeling of regret and frustration in the future, and it will all be our own fault.
Perfect communication is inhibited, to a large extent, by the barriers we raise ourselves. Our personal qualities and the way we approach others may prove to be such obstacles. Generally speaking, we should always speak our minds and give appropriate arguments to support our opinion, even when we talk with our superiors. We cannot allow ourselves to refrain from communication, as this will become the source of our own discontent and reason for the ineffectiveness of communication.
If we want our efforts related to communication to yield expected results, we should be open to changes. We should free ourselves from stereotypes and old habits and get ready to implement new, usually far better, solutions. The way we approach communication is very important. If we are optimistic, and if we allow others to have their own opinions, then we make a first step towards making our communication more effective. First of all, we cannot be afraid of talking. Remaining hidden does not usually help our situation, as this approach excludes us from all communication processes. We should not allow that to happen. If you make use of the ideas we suggest in this article, you will do your personal and professional communication a great service. Maybe this experience will lead to the establishment of a perfect system of communication, just remember to keep on improving it.
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