Connectnigeria Articles

I visited a new church on Sunday, unsure of what to expect I heard exactly what I needed to hear. Communication is the fundamental means of interaction between human beings. It is amazing how little thought we put into it and how ineffective communication breaks relationships and negatively impacts lives. Whether positive or negative, the effects of communication will pervade throughout all aspects of our lives be it business, personal, work, or platonic relationships. Research carried out by Albert Mehrabian in 1971 concluded the following about communication ; -Words account for 7 % -Tone of voice accounts for 38% -Body language accounts for 55% Based on these figures I have drafted three tips to ensure you are able to communicate effectively. 1. Be mindful of when and where you use your words Both written and verbal words are powerful. As you can see above, words only account for seven percent of communication which suggests that effective communication is carried out face to face. If you’re anything like me and you’re a notorious instant message addict, it is imperative that you decipher between conversations that should be carried out in text and those that are better in person. To resolve conflict, address issues, and discuss important issues it is better that you do so in person, after all, words only constitute a tiny 7 per cent. 2. People will hear your tone first, make sure its an honest reflection of your words We have all heard the saying ‘It’s not what you say, it is how you say it’. This statement bares so much truth! Our tone of voice is very reflective of how we feel. When we are sad our voices tend to be soft and mellow, when we are excited they tend to be full of life and vibrant, when we are angry there are tendencies that it is harsh and raised etc. Many of us may be saying calm words but our tones are not reflective of the words that we say which many times lead to discrepancies. Remember, tone constitutes a large 38 per cent of communication so people will hear your tone before they hear your words. 3. Your body speaks a language of its own, make sure the language is positive It is funny that we live and move in this body every day but know so little about it. Our bodies have a language of their own and pass on a range of messages. In the midst of a silent room so much can be said by our body postures, hand gestures, eye contact and facial expressions. It is important if you want to communicate effectively you understand things such as open and closed body language e.g. folded hands is closed and uninviting body language, whereas open arms and unfolded hands reflects open body language. If you master all three of these tips and make a conscious effort to align your words, tones and bodies I assure you that you will have more effective communication as well as healthier and happier relationships!