Communicating effectively is at the heart of any venture. It’s the bridge between confusion and clarity. And you would think with today’s technology that communication would be quantumly better than in the past, but it’s not. The late great motivational guru, Jim Rohn once said, “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” I believe Rohn was onto something, because humans are not robots, they are emotional creatures with feelings that impact their willingness and ability to communicate.
A basic attribute that influences our ability to effectively communicate, is listening. We all know those people who can’t wait for someone to finish a thought, so they drone on about their ideas and opinions. It’s as if they love the sound of their own voice, but never really listen to what is being said. Maybe, it’s that the other person is not efficiently communicating in a way that sustains the receiver’s attention. My recommendation is to be clear and concise when communicating a well thought out idea. Doing so, allows mutual interest to occur, as well as the cultivation of confidence between communicators. I recommend being self-aware while communicating. To where you nearly go into a meditative state and are not only marinating on what the other person is saying, but what you are saying. This allows for true assimilation and equanimity of thoughts and opinions.
We often hear people talk about the importance of quality time spent with others. The same could be said for quantity time or the duration of communication. I have found that as people feel more comfortable, and the forum is one of openness and mutual respect, that a plethora of great ideas begin to flow. I can’t tell you how many times while wrapping up a meeting (that was unexpectedly extended) that an idea or suggestion popped out that made all the difference. Maybe it’s like what Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.” This type of synergistic thinking exploits the mental, emotional, and psychological differences between people. It means there is a better way than your way or my way. It’s our way, and it’s born as a result of such effective communication.
