Introduction: Communication is a way of putting across one’s ideas and opinions and listening to those of the others. As Paul J. Meyer puts it, “Communication the human connection is the key to personal and career success”. Importance of communication has been emphasized several times. Spiritual gurus and renowned leaders around the world have often stressed its importance.
It is important to have a two-way communication for a healthy conversation. People who understand the importance of communication develop healthier personal and professional relationships. On the other hand, people who keep things to themselves instead of discussing and resolving them experience problems at various levels.
Two Way Communication is Important: Communication is said to be effective if it is two way. If only one person does the talking and the other one is not given a chance to put across his point then it is considered to be an unhealthy conversation. Importance of communication must be understood however at the same time people must ensure fair play in the same. Dominating the entire conversation isn’t right and so is letting the other person dominate the same. Be it at home or in a professional setting, people must recognize and realize the importance of two-way communication.
Communication at Personal Level: Communication is also extremely important at a personal level. Individuals who resolve their issues and discuss their problems by communicating with each other are in a happy space. They express what they feel be it something good or bad. They are also open to listening to the point of view of other people to understand them better. This helps in clearing any kind of misunderstanding that leads to a whole lot of other problems.
On the other hand, people who avoid communication and resort to silence tend to complicate things. They do not clarify anything and often hold grudges against others.
Communication in Professional Setting: Communication is of utmost importance in a professional setting. This is the reason why so much emphasis is given on assessing the candidates’ communication skills during job interviews. A person who can communicate his point well has better clarity of concepts. On the other hand, somebody who is confused about the facts is likely to fumble while talking about the same. So, one’s communication skills are a good basis of judging his/ her knowledge and clarity of thoughts.
A person with good communication skills is always more confident and can handle clients better.
Importance of Effective Communication: Many people understand the importance of communication and want to communicate their point to the other people however they are unable to do so. This is because they lack good communication skills. Here are a few ways to communicate effectively:
- Interruption – Interruption can be extremely annoying. It is essential to let the other person complete his/ her point before you make yours. Constantly interrupting the other person can make them wander from the point and the conversation can take a different turn.
- Listen Patiently – Healthy conversation requires listening patiently as much as it requires putting one’s point across. In order to communicate effectively, you must first listen to what the other person has to say.
- Watch Your Body Language – Your body language speaks volumes about you. It is essential to keep your body language warm and friendly rather than arrogant and haughty. Many people unintentionally give a wrong message through their body language. If you are not sure then it is a good idea to learn the art of body language.
- Don’t Go Overboard With Your Point – The reason behind conversation is to express your thoughts to let the other person know what you feel. It is not to prove that your point is correct and the other person is wrong. Many people try to win the conversation which is absolutely wrong. It leads to unnecessary arguments and conflicts.
- Watch Your Words – Before you say something to someone make sure you know what you are saying. At times, out of anger or anxiousness, we say things that we must not say. Remember, words once spoken cannot be taken back. It is thus suggested not to say something you might regret later.
Practice – If there is a professional meeting, where there is a requirement of communicating about your product or work then it is suggested to practice the same beforehand. Choose how your conversation would begin, what all points you would be covering and how you would end it. Practice the same a couple of times in front of the mirror or with a friend.
Conclusion: Communication is of utmost importance. Jim Rohn once said, “If you just communicate you can get by. But if you communicate skillfully you can work miracles”. So, it is essential to understand the importance of communication. However, it is all the more essential to learn the art of effective communication to put across ones point well. It is important to vent out one’s thoughts and feelings to live a fuller and happier life. The more we communicate the less we complicate and the better we feel about everything around.
