Key to Success - how to improve your communication skill

Communication skill is the key to success. The more effectively we communicate the better our chances of success in every aspect of our lives, be it our career or family life. Whatever the level of our communication skills, we can make them better.

For a complete act of communication, these 6 elements must be present:

• Sender
• Message
• Means
• Language
• Receiver
• Context

In my writing this short article, I (the sender) am writing on “how to improve communication skill” (message) is the Key to Success in the working place  (context) via Hubpages (means), in English (language) to you (receiver).

I have always believed that “the result you get is the communication you give”; something I consciously practiced in my working and personal life.

Let me share an incident which illustrates this statement well. I bought some freshly made cinnamon buns home. We just have a new hired help, she was young, barely 20 years old and have just arrived from another country and was with me then for just 2 months when this incident happened. I told her to put in water so that the ants cannot feast on them. What happened was she took my words literally and put all the cinnamon buns in a bowl of water. Imagine my distress and consternation seeing the cinnamon buns go to waste. Well, what can I say; the result I got was the communication I gave. A postmortem on how this could have been done better:

• Do not assume: I made assumption that she would know what I mean that is to put the cinnamon buns onto a plate and then only place the plate in the bowl of water, building a moat of water so that the ants cannot get to the buns. I should have been clearer in getting my message across, maybe I should have demonstrated and show her how since she is new and young. She probably thought this is how we eat cinnamon buns in this country!!

• Know the level or maturity of the people you are talking to. If you are not of the same bandwidth, take a bit of time to be more specific and clear. In this case, she is of another country and I spoke to her in her language of which I know little, so I should have shown her how besides just oral communication.

• Have the other person tell you in their own words the message you are trying to get across. This will give you the confirmation that the receiver has gotten the message correct.

• I, as the sender of the message should hold the responsibility and be in the driving seat, so I should have stayed back and see how she does it then just leaving her to it. I could have saved the cinnamon buns, if not all at least some.

Recalling this incident makes me think of the cinnamon buns. I shall go get half a dozen later. Back to the subject, the incident above clearly demonstrates that if we want to be successful and effective, it is important to have clear and effective communication, hold yourself accountable for the message and follow through to ensure it is done.