Effective communication is the pathway to build a strong relationship but unfortunately it’s so often overlooked. This article will provide some basic principles and tips for effective communication.

From my experience, the three most important basic principles of effective communication are:

1. Always listen when someone is talking.
2. Make sure that it is a two way process.
3. Affirm and acknowledge results.

LISTEN LISTEN and LISTEN

The most frustrating thing about communication is when the person whom you are talking to is not listening to you. Before you even finish a sentence, he cuts you off. A lot of the misunderstanding and misinterpretion are caused by not listening to other party.

TWO WAY PROCESS

Communication should always be a two way process. Make it safe for other to express his views. Effective communication means ideas are exchanging freely.

AFFIRM UNDERSTANDING OR RESULT

Effective communication is about the RESULT you get. This is perhaps the most important thing in any communication. It means the person you are communicating to totally understands your point. And you also understand his point. So to ensure that your communication is effective, you must always confirm understanding.

That’s the three most basic pronciples for an effective communication. It sounds simple but in practice, it is perhaps the hardest principles to follow, and has to be constantly worked at.

Principles of Effective Communication

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Speak Up when the Truth Need to be Known

There is an old adage which says, “Silence is golden.” Of course this is not always true. The more accurate statement should sound like this: “Silence is golden when it is called for”. Therefore the following statement is also true: “Silence is NOT golden when it is NOT called for“.

Many people choose to be silent even when they are supposed to speak up. This is because they are afraid of being deemed confronting or defying to their seniors or bosses. Silence can be deadly when it is not called for. It can cost you your promotion, your health, your marriage or even a life.

I read the following story from a newspaper some times back…

“There was an arrogant doctor who never wanted to listen to other people’s opinions. When a nurse spoke up, he would ask her to shut up and be a nurse. Nobody dared to question him or give any suggestion. One day there was a patient who had undiagnosed meningitis. One of the nurses suspected that the patient had meningitis but she didn’t speak up. Two days later, the patient died.”

The nurse regretted her silence but it was already too late. She had been reliving the event many times. Imagine instead of shy away, the nurse stood up and said,

“I understand you don’t like to hear my opinion but I feel compelled to offer it because I suspect he has meningitis”.

This could have saved a life!

So the moral of the story is… Speak up when the truth need to be known!