Overcoming the Barriers to communication

Or

How to Communicate Effectively

Since there are several barriers to communication, there is a great possibility that our communication may be jeopardized. Therefore, we must overcome these barriers to communication to communicate effectively. To this effect, we must keep the following points in our mind.

Connecting with the Audience

The first lesson in overcoming the barriers to communication is to get connected with the audience. Therefore, speak in the language of the audience, know the audience and his purpose. 

Simple Words

Simple words come home to all the audience. To meet the objectives the message has to be kept really simple. You will win the audience if your language is simple and you use the words of day today conversation. 

Body Language

Use of proper gesture and posture will make your communication more natural and acceptable. Without proper body language the whole process may become mechanical and monotonous and thus unacceptable. Your smile will make you amicable. If you look at the eyes of the audience, they would listen to you.

Cultural Sensitivity

While talking to the audience, you must be culturally sensitive. You must be well aware of the culture of the audience and all the related vocabulary otherwise the audience may be offended.

Checking for Understanding (Feedback)

While talking to the audience, you must take a feedback to check whether they are able to understand you. This can be done by two ways, Firstly, keep looking at the audience while talking to them. It will ensure you whether they are listening to or not. Secondly, you must ask them such questions as to ensure they are able to understand you or not.

Seeking Participation

Seeking participation is also very effective way of involving the audience in the process of communication. Invite them to express their opinion also.

Effective Questions

Effective questions too are very helpful in involving the audience in the process of communication. You can start your talk with thought provoking questions which will increase the interest of the audience in your talk. Questions in between your talk will ensure that the audience is listening to you and questions at the end will ensure that they understand you. 

Summarizing what has been said

Don’t forget to summarize your communication at the end of your message. It is very effective.

Besides the above, you must ensure that your message has the following 7c’s of communication: -

The 7 C’s of Communication

The 7 C’s of communication is a checklist with the help of which we can make our communication effective.

According to the 7 C’s, communication needs to be:

1.Clear.

2.Concise.

3.Concrete.

4.Correct.

5.Coherent.

6.Complete.

7.Courteous.

 1. Clear

When writing or speaking to someone, be clear about what you want to say. What is your purpose in communicating with the audience? If you yourself are not clear about what you want to say, how can you expect that your audience would understand you?

2. Concise

A concise message is one which gives maximum meaning using minimum number of words.

In the words of Alexander Pope

“Words are like Leaves; and where they most abound, 

Much Fruit of Sense beneath is rarely found.”

If there are too many words in your message, it is most likely to become vague and audience will not be able to understand it. Don’t make your message verbose and be concise. Your audience doesn't want to read six sentences when you could communicate your message in three.

3. Concrete

Generally, your message may have a lot of unnecessary words and unnecessary repetitions. Remove the deadwood from your message and keep the solid meaning in it. It is like winnowing the chaff and keeping the grains. When your message is concrete, your audience has a clear picture of what you're telling them. Your message is concrete.

4. Correct

Your message must be grammatically correct with correct spellings and proper punctuation. A grammatically incorrect message is a poor and loose message. It may give an unintended meaning also. When your communication is correct, it wins your audience.

5. Coherent

A coherent message is one all whose sentences are connected together. It means that the first sentence leads to the second sentence. The second sentence leads to the third sentence and so on. When the audience reads it, he will automatically be led to the last sentence without break. He cannot leave it in the middle. Make your message coherent and keep your audience in your control.

6. Complete

Ensure that your message is complete in all respects. People generally forget to include important things in the message and they are reminded when the message has already been sent and they have to recommunicate in this regard. In a complete message, the audience has everything they need to be informed.

7. Courteous

Courtesy is an essential element of communication. You must make your message courteous. Courtesy is like oil which removes friction and facilitates smooth functioning. Courtesy removes bitterness and makes you friendly. It can win enemies and make them friends. Your message will be welcome.

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