The actual study of communication is very revealing on why there are so many conflicts in our interpersonal relationships. More often than not conflicts are rooted in parties’ inability to communicate effectively. There are a number of ways to improve upon your communication, making it more effective and increasing your ability to maximize your communication efforts.
There are three main principles of communication that govern both business and interpersonal communications. The first is connecting with your audience. Whether it is face to face or via written communication. In order to connect with your audience you need to be aware of certain details about them, where they are from, their ages, socio-economic status, etc. Your message should center on this information. The more connected your audience is the more likely they are to fully take in your communication.
Second, think about how your message could be interpreted by others. Non-verbal communication is a large part of how people interpret messages, but that involves face-to-face communication. When communication is done solely via machines like the telephone, computer, etc., then interpretations are easily misunderstood. Take time to think about the possible ways someone could interpret your message and make sure to amned it to clear up any discrpancies.
Third, engage the party to ensure that they understood. Don’t just assume that the receiver of your message clearly interpreted or understood your message. People can misunderstand a message and proceed on that misunderstanding without you even being aware. Engaging the party and getting feedback, if you will, on what your message meant to them or even feedback on their interpretation of the message is a great way to avoid conflict. This could be as simple as restating your message in a different way to ensure their understanding or even asking for their interpretation of your message.