As a woman who loves to work smarter rather than harder, i’m constantly coming up with creative solutions to create a life where I can work faster, sharper and more efficiently. As a communications coach and expert, one area where I love to apply my efficiency hacks is in my daily communication. One area that I have learnt to master is the art of cystal clear communication. Not only do I find it empowers, inspires and guides others around me more effectively but by communicating more clearly, I save hours each day that result in convoluted conversations and miscommunication. Now a firmly established habit that is reaping me bountiful rewards, I am a firm advocate for crystal clarity in all types of communication. Keep reading for some more tips on how you can become a clearer communicator and save hours of confusion and miscommunication every day.
Firstly, before communicating any information, I ensure I am clear about what I want to say. Often, if I already crystal clear, I don’t need to self reflect, however, if I feel a little ambiguous about what I want to relay to another person, I always take some time out to think and introspect so I have greater clarity about my purpose and message. Whether its speaking to a new client, giving instructions on a project or even speaking to customer services about my latest Iphone glitch, by taking a few moments out to think about what I want to say, I am able to establish the points clearly in my mind pre conversation. Often, we do not have any clarity about what we want to relay to the person we are speaking with, and the result is that our dialogue is not defined, sharp or focused. When we do zoom in and closely analyse what we want to relay in our message, we become clear and the other person hears us much more effectively.
The second step I take to be a more concise communicator is to think about who my audience is. Who am I communicating with? Is it the elderly lady next door, someone with a grasp of the subject or a work experience newby. By being clear about the mindset of my audience, I am able to ensure that I communicate in a way that they will understand and I am also able make sure that my message is more targeted. Its just like when you speak to a child, you automatically tone down your language and style to speak at their level. By using the same analogy, if you think about who you are communicating with and adapt your style to meet their needs and understanding, they will understand you much faster and your words will land better and more memorably.
Last but not least, I find that my communication is always much clearer when I ask for feedback. Feedback is a critical if we want to be sure that the other person has truly heard us. By asking for feedback in an informal way, you will be able to determine if the other person has truly grasped your message or if there is some confusion or lack of understanding. If there is some confusion, this is the best time to clarify it and to explain the points further.
So, do try out this three point rule for greater clarity in your communication and conversations. Remember, always know your purpose and be clear about your message, identify who you are speaking with, take out all that jargon and finally ask for feedback. If you truly apply each of these principles, you will find that you communication is not only clearer, but faster, sharper and much more effective.
By Aysha Iqbal, Director, Wize Communications