COMMUNICATION: CONSIDERING THE OTHER PERSON

Communication: considering the other party

The 6 C’s of communication consist of the following:

Consideration - this entails understanding your audience and tailoring your information through the right channel that suits your audience.

Clarity- this entails being precise. It also entails that you use the right channels of communication that are without distortion.

Concise- Make sure your message is brief. Avoid unnecessary use of words

Coherence- Your message should follow a logical pattern. Every idea should be interlinked

Correctness - Make sure you are providing accurate information.

Confidence - You must be certain about the information you are dissipating. Be sure of yourself and your sources.

Today I want to talk about consideration and how it affects communications. I think one of the major barriers to effective communication is that most people do not consider the person they are communicating with.

We all come from different backgrounds with different values which impact our perception. I know for certain cultures respect is very important while for some it isn’t.

Now imagine two people of these different backgrounds interacting. There is a high chance of conflict given that both value two different things. This conflict can stem from little things like greeting or titles.

Aside from cultural differences, we also need to consider people’s emotional disposition when interacting. For example, I find it difficult to interact effectively when I am busy and that might be interpreted differently by the other party.

Being an effective communicator is quite tasking and required a lot of deliberate effort. To be able to consider other people requires empathy--the ability to see things from a different perspective that isn’t yours.

With empathy one is less combative when communicating. Also, they tend to listen better. Good listening skills are a necessary communication skill. It is one thing to pass information effectively and another to process it. This can only happen when we practice active listening.

Also asking questions is a useful way to understand the person you are communicating with. It gives better insight into the ideas that are being conveyed and puts you in a better position to give useful feedback.

In conclusion, to become effective communicators we must learn to consider not just the people we communicate with but also the proper medium for exchange that suits the parties involved. It requires practice and like every other skill, time.