Let’s be honest, communicating is not easy. Communication can be one of the most common problems that everyone faced! This is because communication is important because one wrong move, a miscommunication can happen. And that can be very bad. Words cannot be taken back when you have said it so it is best to be careful when you are communicating with someone. Effective communication is needed in your daily life. Even though we all are not an effective communicator but remember that everyone makes mistakes. What is important is that you learn and improve yourself. Here are some tips on how to communicate effectively in your workplace!
1. Control Your Emotions
The first important step is to control your emotions. When we are emotional, we tend to say things that we usually do not mean. For example, we tend to say rude and cruel things when we are angry, we say overachieving things that go over our limit when challenged, we will say dramatic things when we are sad, and etc. To make sure that you will not say things that are wrong, you need to make sure your emotions are under control. Do not let your emotions consume and control you!
You can take a deep breath and calm yourself down before communicating. Do whatever makes you happy so that you can be more professional and communicate more efficiently. It is best to make sure that you are in a good mood or in full control of your emotions before talking!
2. Organise Your Points
Some people have problems with talking due to low self-esteem and anxiety. They will stutter and their points will be over the places. This actually could be a great hindrance for you while communicating. People might think that they can say whatever they can to you because you would not talk back and you might end up getting used. That is why, you can start by practicing your points before talking.
Take a piece of paper and a pen. Write everything that you want to talk about. Make sure to organise it in the right sequence. You should probably start with the most important points so that people will focus on it. If you are scared of stuttering, then practice in front of the mirror. Do not be afraid or embarrassed when you stutter, you can always try your best the next time!
3. Mind Your Non-linguistics Features
People often think that talking involves only your mouth and the words that you uttered. Actually, non-linguistics elements of conversation also exist. Non-linguistics elements of conversation is just fancy term for body language, tone, and etc. These elements matter because they also indirectly “speak” in a conversation.
When conversing, people will also analyse your body language. The way you move your hands, your eyes, your legs, everything matters. Make eye contact with the person you are talking to. If you do not then it will be a sign of no confidence or submission. Look at them so that they know that you are serious. Do not move your hands nor legs too much! Only move them when it is necessary. Excess movement might make you look nervous. It can also distract others from focusing on what you are saying.
4. Choose The Right Words
This is one of the most important things, mind your language! When conversing with someone, make sure that you have fully analysed that person. Some people might be more sensitive than others. That is why you should choose your words perfectly. Make sure that your words would not offend or trigger that person.
Your choice of words play a major role in communicating with someone. One wrong word can ruin the flow of the conversation. So, be wary and very cautious of your words.
5. Timing is Important
Lastly, to communicate effectively, you must also master the art of timing it. No matter how perfect your wordings, your intentions, or your tone, if you say it during the wrong time, then it will not end as good as you think.
To master the art of timing, you must understand the said person you are going to communicate with. Make sure that they are not busy, have problems or currently occupied with anything else physically and mentally. If you think that that said person will be affected negatively when you tell him or her about it, then please avoid from doing so. Make sure that the person will be fairly unaffected by your topic of the conversation. Even if they are going to be affected by it, either positively or negatively, make sure that it would not be too much than what they could handle. Set the timing of your conversation right!
Written by: Muhammad Mustaqim Bin Abdul Rahman
