Good communication skills are key to success in life, work, and relationships. Without effective communication, a message can turn into error, misunderstanding, frustration, or even disaster by being misinterpreted or poorly delivered.
Lee Iacocca was an American auto executive who was notorious for his ability to effectively communicate. He became a national celebrity for steering the Chrysler Corporation away from bankruptcy toward profit in the 1980s.
Iacocca believed that we can all have brilliant ideas but if we are unable to get the ideas across, our ideas would not get us anywhere. Effective communication boils down to mastering three areas: Clarity, Continuity and Creativity.
Clarity
Recent research has suggested that written and verbal communication is involved in 90% of all business transactions. Whether you are just making small talk or closing the biggest deal of your corporate career, the act of communicating clearly and effectively is one area of success not to be taken lightly or, even worse, overlooked. It is key to succeeding at any level.
The virtually endless benefits of clear and effective communication are not hard to achieve if you keep your message simple enough to be understand, interesting enough to be remembered, and most importantly, respectful enough of others to be respected.
Continuity
It took me years to become aware of the significance of repeating my own goals and restating my companies’ mission. I learned that, like the sales process, we sometimes need to repeat our messages six to ten times before we are sold, or other people internalise our influence in any given situation.
Continuity is especially important in today’s society as communication is often not face-to-face but is more electronic. Without an awareness to utilise repetition, it is easy to open the door to miscommunication, less than cordial interactions or misunderstandings. As either the sender or receiver of a communication, most of us have experienced the thought, “Did she understand my message?” or “Did he really mean that?” As students of success in business and our personal lives, we have learned that the better the communication, the better the results.
Creativity
Finding new ways to communicate ongoing goals is a skill all high-achievers and successful people utilise consciously or unconsciously. It keeps their audiences engaged. Creativity is more important now than ever before. According to an IBM survey, this is now the most important leadership quality for the success of a business. Do not speak it — do it!
“Be the change you want to see”- Gandhi
Actions speak louder than words. Do your research, learn the motivations of your audiences, try to understand their behaviour and learning styles. Does your audience absorb and respond better to your messages by hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, or tasting something? Alternatively, which combination of these sense stimulations provides the best response to the influence you are trying to create? Surprise your audience, persuade them by engaging them and/or telling them a story while creating an experience.
Creativity is both lively and memorable at once. Creativity promotes self-expression, a way to create something from personal feelings and experiences. Most people ignore acquiring good communication skills over the importance of accomplishing technological skills which may impede business and individual profitability. Good communication skills are key to success in life. We can all have brilliant ideas, and most people do. The successful execution of great ideas depends on the visionary’s ability to articulate those ideas to those who will eventually need to work together to transform those ideas into results.
Successful people gain a competitive advantage through an awareness of the importance of continually developing in this area, being clear during communication delivery, using repetition to re-establish continuity and influence, and ensuring their message appeals to the senses of their audiences.
Effective communication overwhelmingly compensates a business or individual in lucrative ways improving both internal and external relationships.
Eliot Kelly is recognised as a serial Entrepreneur, and has been featured on CNN, BBC Three’s Be Your Own Boss and an extensive list of magazines and articles. His four books have been translated in over 7 languages and are sold in 29 countries, recently being shortlisted for Best Self-Help and Best Advice Books 2019 by The Author Academy. He is regarded as a top Sales, Business and Leadership Management Coach who creates opportunities for his success partner’s through financial literacy and life skills training. He is also a Professional Speaker and continues to inspire present and future entrepreneurs around the world. You Know More Than You Think You Do releases this Christmas! Pre-Order Today.
