lifehack.org: Communication is an integral part of any work or life situation. Learning to be an effective communicator is a valuable productivity tool, one that is unfortunately commonly overlooked. The consequences of poor communication can be disastrous; wasted time, hurt feelings, misunderstandings, unproductive meetings, ineffective teamwork, and lack of progress towards goals. In order to be successful communicators we need to keep in mind some basic guidelines that are applicable in most instances of work, social or home environments.
Friday, February 17, 2012
How to be a Better Communicator
lifehack.org: Communication is an integral part of any work or life situation. Learning to be an effective communicator is a valuable productivity tool, one that is unfortunately commonly overlooked. The consequences of poor communication can be disastrous; wasted time, hurt feelings, misunderstandings, unproductive meetings, ineffective teamwork, and lack of progress towards goals. In order to be successful communicators we need to keep in mind some basic guidelines that are applicable in most instances of work, social or home environments.
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Most of these are valuable suggestions to anyone that works with others often. I personally have seen the effects of poor communication and how confused it can make others be, and what bad things can result from it. I consider one of the most important tips from this LifeHack post is to Actively Listen. Keeping an open mind and letting others complete their thoughts before interrupting or adding more is such an important part to being an effective communicator.
Its so true that communication is critical to being successful in our industry. The high level of collaboration and dependancies of one department on another create too large of stakes for someone to be lethargically communicating in a production. I agree with Will on the fact that actively listening is equally as important as articulating your ideas effectively and communicating well. I also want to emphasize the step of establishing follow up. Sometimes miscommunications happen regardless of how seamless each communicator is communicating. If follow up is established these situations can be caught early and sorted out rather than snowballing into a huge issue.
I think these were some really good suggestions on how to communicate more effectively. However, the article didn't seem geared towards anything in particular, so I was left unclear as to what situations these skills are best used in. For instance, a conversation where you are telling someone about a problem and one where you are asking for something are different. Do these tips apply to both scenarios?
My other thought as I read this was that it's interesting how time is used. We are grateful to those who take the time to have a conversation with us, and yet to communicate effectively we shouldn't then just cut to the chase. I personally think that time spent in good conversation isn't wasted time, but it's an interesting question to consider.
The points listed as valuable for communication in this article are exactly those which I consider when I think about what it means to be effective in conveying a point. It is vital to stay calm, with an occasional foray into humor or more lighthearted small talk, and never to become aggressive in one's tone. I find that most people who are not able to obtain or at least come to a reasonable compromise with what they desire have a flaw in either the demeanor in which they present themselves or not being the correct mix of firm and forgiving with their words. This is an important skill in the theatre industry; one that must be honed and developed in order to be perfected.
I would argue that communication skills are the single most important skills in almost any career path and just to successfully travel through life. This article lists these skills wonderfully. Thinking back, I'm amazed that this was never a topic of discussion during any part of my elementary or high school experiences. I think that it would be really beneficial for this list to be integrated into young education. Communication skills are so critical and miscommunications are so common. Communicating is just inherently difficult and introducing these simple skills early would probably be beneficial.
There once was a time when I thought that I was a good, even great, communicator. Then one day I sat down with some friends for a game of catchphrase (similar to taboo). As my team was beaten repeatedly, I got frustrated, and then it was pointed out to me that I was not effectively communicating. Intrigued by what I thought was a fluke of the format of the game, I began to keep track of the way I communicated with the world at large. What I discovered was that I actually have a large problem translating what is happening in my head (be that an idea, a question, or a story) into words that other people understand. This article raises some good points, particularly asking for feedback and determining the desired outcome.
I think that communication is key to making a project/ plan a worthwhile one. I have also learned that it is something I need to work on the most. In order for a single idea to be understood between a group of people, that person must express articulately and clearly that idea in the best way possible. That way, no one gets frustrated, and possible ideas are aired making potential for success greater. Communicating correctly/ the most simply also prevents confusion, not just for others around, but for the communicator themselves.
This article is one we can all benefit from. Good communication is what prevents problems and then hopefully resolves problems. Good communication from the beginning can save you time in the long run which is ultimately what we all strive for. I know it sounds simple, but we all know it can be difficult. The suggestions given in the article are excellent and are a great place to start, but sometimes it can be the way we come off when we communicate that is the problem. The tone in our voice can negate everything we are trying to accomplish. This part of communication is an art in my opinion. Reading how each person needs to be spoken to is a developed talent. Some need humor, some need praise, others need all seriousness. Some of us just never get it and don't have the gift of communication but if you are willing to work at it, you will be an invaluable member to any team.
Effective communication is vital, especially in the theatre world. With so many jobs intertwined to get to a common goal, organization and clarity is key, as well as the well-being of everyone involved in the process. I think the point of asking for feedback is commonly overlooked, but I think it's important to be sure you can repeat back to the person exactly what they told you so that you know that you both are on the same page with what needs to get done and how best to go about doing it.
I love articles that take something that we all do on a regular basis, and then proceed to inform us that we're idiots. (That wasn't sarcasm). These tips are so good, and astonishingly obvious, but how many of us consistently use them? Sure, there's always going to be the person that says "I DO thank the person!" but then that person usually misses the point of the article and doesn't realize s/he could learn from other tips.
I try very hard to not be that person.
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