E-TEI TECHNOLOGY

They say men are from Mars and women are from Venus and sometimes it really does feel like we’re speaking two different languages! All couples will run into a communication problem or two, whether it’s nagging or the constant “he said, she said” that can plague a relationship. But can men and women really communicate effectively with each other? Or are they too different to ever see eye to eye? Good communication is possible, but it takes effort. Read on for more tips on handling your communication crises:

First, good communication most often arises from two parties that are actively seeking a mutually beneficial solution in an emotion-free environment. Do you see the problem here? The times when we need good communication the most are when we’re in heated arguments, battling over who’s right and who’s wrong!

When an argument gets heated, it’s easy to say things we don’t really mean in an effort to prove our points. In fact, did you know that in these situations, your IQ can drop by as much as 20 points? Your brain shifts from using its logical reasoning to a type of fight or flight response designed to deal with this type of stress. You may notice physiological symptoms like sweating, flushed cheeks and rapid heartbeat that indicate you’ve passed from a logical frame of mind into an emotional, reactive mindset.

Recognizing these symptoms is a key step in regaining control of the communication process. If you notice yourself becoming more and more emotional, you might want to ask your partner for a brief time-out so that you don’t say or do something you don’t mean and will later regret. Restart the conversation only when you feel you’ve calmed down enough to speak rationally.

Or, if you’re able to, use these physiological effects as a cue to get back on track. Try to figure out what’s really bothering you and express that clearly to your partner. Remember to avoid blame statements in your conversations. Statements like “You never want to spend time with me” or “You don’t help out enough around the house” are loaded with blame and will only send the conversation back to the emotionally-charged realm.

Finally, remember that it’s hard to have an earnest, rational conversation when you’re bombarded by external distractions. Don’t try to have an important conversation in a busy public place or in front of the television at night. Give your partner your full attention during the discussion out of respect for his or her feelings. You’ll also be better able to pick up on little cues like posture and intonation that demonstrate how your partner is really feeling.

Men and women may never see eye to eye when it comes to communication. After all, we have some pretty distinct differences that often get in the way of being open and honest with one another. However, developing good communication skills is an essential part of building solid relationships and it can be done. So pick up that guide to Martian or that Venusian dictionary, dive in and get ready to reap the rewards of good communication.

I am not the first person to recognise that business depends on one factor, communication. If you have a great product that you want to sell to people you need to communicate to them to show them what they could have in their lives. If you have a service that would be useful to people you need to get that message across. If you have a great business idea but need funding you need to share it effectively with the right people and if you have a business and want to minimise the loss of productivity then you could benefit from effective communication. There is a common misconception that communication skills cannot be taught. The misnomer follows that one either has the gift of the gab or one doesn’t. This may be partially true but there is a phenomenal amount that can be achieved through communication training.

The ability to stand in front of a large audience of people does not come naturally to anyone. Even the greatest of orators took time to ply their trade. Hitler, Martin Luther King and Hamlet all solicited advice and practiced their speech making abilities carefully. The ability to influence and interact with other people is an invaluable skill that will not only benefit your business but will also impact your social life. The skills that can be taught with communication training can help improve your presentation skills, business relationships and media skills training.

Delivering a message with clarity and impact may sound easy but how many meetings have you been to where these simple principles have been ignored and you have ended up listening to the speaker drone on for hours without making a succinct point? I’ve been in a few. The frustrating thing is this can easily be avoided by learning a few simple techniques and no one is too big or too important to listen to the advice of a team of people that are dedicated to delivering this type of training.

Communication skills are not just focused on delivering speeches. The key aspect of communication is listening. Being able to take in and analyse the messages you receive from your business associates is as important a skill as being able to say the right things. People will always tell you what they want or need out of the business relationship and the most successful business people are successful because they take time to listen to what other people want and then they work hard to provide it.

Presentation skills are beneficial in all areas of business. Whether it is a formal presentation with the use of presentation technology such as an interactive whiteboard or simply pitching your business and trying to close a deal they are an invaluable skill set. The right presentation of yourself and your business will pay dividends in the long and short term. People make up their minds very quickly and that first impression is invaluable. Fortunately there are simple techniques that can be taught and taken on by anyone to make improvements to their initial presentation skills. Sadly it is often overlooked. But I would strongly recommend that the first step you take to improve your business is to seek consultancy on your communication and as a result seek communication training.

Being able to present the correct image to the media is one of the hardest communication issues that face business. If your company are likely to have to interact with the TV, radio or newspapers it is imperative that you are prepared for the difficulties and potential windfalls that come with it. You need appease the journalists need to have a story with your own need to look good, this can be a difficult task; especially if you are not used to being in the spotlight. Communication training can prepare you for the scenarios working with the press can create.

Effective communication is an essential component of organizational success whether it is at the interpersonal, intergroup, organizational, or external levels. Effective communication is an important characteristic of strong and healthy families. Effective communication in the workplace is necessary for a friendly and conducive work environment.

Learning

Learning how to communicate assertively allows you the freedom to know that you have a right to speak and be heard in most situations and the confidence to know that you can present yourself in such a fashion that people will want to hear you.

Three elements propel your leadership communications: speaking, listening and learning. What matters is not avoiding all disagreements, but learning to give and put your partner before yourself. If you want to be emotionally congruent, you must recognize the importance of learning to feel safe with all your emotions.

Family

Communication in a family requires workdiligent work. Here are some tips that can help your family have wholesome and profitable conversations: Take time to talk. As adults, we often use the radio as an escape; instead, choose to chat with your family. Yelling and throwing items during a family discussion sets a horrible example for our children and destroys your credibility as parents.

Conflict

Conflict between people is a fact of life and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Conflicts occur at all levels of interaction: at work, among friends, within families and between relationship partners. Conflict can cause resentment, hostility and perhaps the ending of the relationship.

Improve

The greatest skill you can have in order to instantly and significantly improve you communications skills is to understand the other person’s point view and how they see the world. You can make a big impact simply by changing some of your language and developing your verbal skills, This way you can significantly improve your communication skills.

As we look to the future for ever better ways to improve performance, leadership and teamwork and to handle the accelerating changes we face both at work and at home, we must understand the significant ways that interpersonal communication impacts our lives.

Conclusion

Communication skills have to be developed, honed and added to on an on-going basis. Interpersonal communication skills are the one asset that will take you up the career ladder faster than any other. Any organization or relations can be made more productive by effective communication. And from these new effective communication skills, you can start having increased happiness, success, and better relationships.