Now let's stop for a moment and ask yourself one question. Can other people understand us clearly? Are we putting or points across and having our voices heard?
As humans we have this fundamental need to be able to interact with one another and be able to communicate our thoughts, opinions and feelings. And by not being able to interact and share with one another, we increased the chances of developing mental health issues and depression.
Now that being said I am aware that there are different personality types. Introverts for example enjoy their own company and get energized by spending times with themselves, however even introverts require interaction between other people as part of their daily routine. And equally, extroverts thrive on interaction with others and are energized by socialising and communicating.
So how do we improve our communication?
Communication is a highly valued topic that is taught across many platforms. It is the most valued asset of any fully functioning and thriving business, not to mention a fundamental part of a functioning relationship. Yet, not many people take advantage of all this free content online to be able to improve themselves and self invest into enhancing their communication.
Here are 4 levels of communication.
Verbal
physical
auditory
emotional
Verbal Communication
A study done in UCLA showed that only 7% of our communication is verbal. Meaning that if you enhance what you say you all the increasing the quality of your 7%. Verbal communication is crucial to be able to deliver your message concisely without any distractions.
Tip on how to improve your verbal communication:
- say the sentence you're about to say to somebody in your head first, if it makes sense you may now repeat it to the person. Don't be afraid of a few second of Silence as it can help you save minutes or hours of explaining. Try to use the right words within the correct context to be able to show that you are respectful of other people's opinions, beliefs and circumstances.
Physical Communication
Non-verbal communication makes up 93% of our communication. Of this 93%, 55% is related to Body Language. Physical communication falls in the category of body language.
Visual Cues like eye contact, movements, the way we Stand or sit, posture, gestures and even facial expressions influence how we communicate and how we make the receiver feel during our exchange.
For example, by being at the same eye level, with upright posture and open arms, maintaining eye contact and smiling and listening attentively we create an aura that communication is important and that we are listening to the other individual. This makes both parties feel at ease and valued in the episode.
tips on how to improve you physical communication:
Practice sitting up straight, maintain enough eye contact to be able to tell the colour of the other person's eyes, listen attentively and nod positively. Create an open posture where you are not closed off or your arms are crossed.
Auditory Communication
Auditory communication includes the Range, volume, speed and the tone of our voice. According to the study done in UCLA 38% of our communication is dependent on our auditory communication. For instance those who speak quickly, will find benefit in slowing their speech down and conveying the message more concisely. And vice versa.
If you were to observe a handful of successful ceos, you knows that they speak at a moderate speed, pronounce the words thoroughly and correctly while keeping a low tone voice rather than a high pitch. This shows authority and enhances leadership skills through effective communication.
Top Tips for improving you auditory communication:
- in the morning start by doing mouth stretchers. Also it is important to warm up your voice with a warm glass of drink such as water, milk or tea or coffee. Then practice slowing your sentences down. You can use your spouse or your family member or your friend as a guide.
Emotional communication
Not a lot of people appreciated how our emotional States truly effects how we communicate and how the message is interpreted by the recipient.
A Study in UCLA showed that people who portray themselves as positive and life-affirming are far more likely to be able to hold a longer conversation and communicate more effectively with others, in comparison to those who are negative and critical.
As humans we thrive on positivity and being able to progress and achieve. So it comes naturally to like and prefer to communicate with someone who inherit positive traits and is more open minded in conversation.
Tips on how to improve your emotional communication:
- my advice is to research into emotional intelligence. Read books on how to strengthen and enhance yourself emotionally and how to deal with others by being able to interpret through emotions through conversations.
I also recommend reading this book to help you improve
Bringing all these aspects together.
I hope by reading this you find the interest to look into communication skills further. As a dentist it is the most important part of my profession. As a businessman, it is also the key to Success. Building relationships is one thing but to be able to sustain a full healthy functional relationship is a challenge. This goes in both personal and professional life. And the fundamentals are easy... Communicate clearly and effectively.
In lights that you may want to further educate yourself here is a list of books I would recommend.