Mastering A Skill Gen 105
I believe a skill that most people do not have and could benefit from mastering is clear and powerful communication. I think that mostly, people walk through life believing that they are communicating with one another when they truly are not. Most people think that because they are speaking or writing, others are receiving what they want to share. This is clearly not so. More frequently, one party is ineffectively “communicating” while those on the receiving end are struggling to interpret or understand the information being imparted. This can lead to a number of different disastrous breakdowns which cause divorce, productivity issues, lost profits, and even war. There are several barriers to effective communication.
Word Choice- The words one chooses when communicating can influence the quality of the communication. If the words chosen are not clear and precise, the person or people on the receiving end of the communication will certainly add their interpretation and meanings to whatever is being communicated. Almost certainly, the same words will be interpreted differently by each individual that hears them. “Meaning has to be given to words and many factors affect how an individual will attribute meaning to particular words. It is important to note that no two people will attribute the exact same meaning to the same words.” (Gordon 1) If the words are not chosen based on the audience, the meaning may also be lost. One cannot speak with a child in the same way that one would speak with a doctor.
Nonverbal Communication- A person’s body language, tone, speed of speech, (in written communication) type of font, use of bold, italics, underlining, and CAP locks all convey different messages. When one communicates, the words chosen are not the only communications being heard or read. Being present and conscious of the type of signals being transmitted by folded arms, a smirk, the CAP locks being accidentally on, can all impact the quality of the...
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