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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Getting your message across

All we do all the time is communication. Whoever we are, wherever we are, or whatever the activity, we constantly strive to get our messages across. It might be through a seminar presentation, email to a friend, husband and wife interaction, or coach to team charge session, whichever way, it ends in understanding or misunderstanding.
If a communication process ends in understanding, it means that the message was properly transmitted and received with little or no distortion and elicited the appropriate feedback.
If it ends in misunderstanding, it means that the message was not properly transmitted. It shows that the message was ambiguous, distorted and shrouded with noise – signals that interfere communication processes.
However, the desired end of every communication process is shared understanding. And the goal of every communicator is to get the right response from the receiver of the message.
A message – visual, audio or body signal – can achieve the desired goal only when it is clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous.
Clear – means that the communicator is certain of his goal or message and expresses it with simplicity,without undertones, 'big words' and unfamiliar idioms.
Concise – means that the communicator sticks to his point and keeps his/her message brief. There is no need to use three sentences when one will do.
Concrete – means that the communicator paints a vivid picture of his/her message. It is tangible, the audience can feel it. Anecdotes, facts, and pictures work well for this.
Correct – means that the communicator tailors his/her message to fit the need and the level of education of the audience. It also means that message is void of grammatical and spelling errors.
Coherent – means that the communicator ensures consistency in the message. All the elements must add up and flow into the theme.
Complete – means that the communicator includes everything in the message that the audience need to be informed and to take action.
Courteous – means that the communicator is friendly, open, and sincere with the audience. He/she understands the audience and is not insulting whether in words, gestures or tone.
Notice: the communicator is responsible for the outcome. He/she is the one to make amends when the message fails to hit the target.