Richard Callahan > Communication Workshops

Free Information Now!

FREE ARTICLE

"The Best Communicators"
by Richard Callahan

The best communicators are both self-aware and other-aware: that is, they understand much about themselves, much about other people, and much about how different situations require adjustments in communication style and substance. They know, for instance, how to successfully communicate in a social situation as opposed to a business situation; they know where the line is that divides one situation from the other; and, if it's appropriate, they know how to blur that line to create a more comfortable communication climate.

In business, the best communicators know that they first must have a point to make, and they must understand that point so clearly that they can summarize it in one sentence. They know this is true whether they're addressing a large crowd or speaking to a single individual.

They know they must clearly relate everything they say to that point, so listeners will be able to easily follow their train of thought.

The best communicators know they must frame their messages in terms that their listeners will understand. They know that, as Neil Postman wrote in The Soft Revolution, "If an idea cannot be expressed in language that a reasonably attentive seventh-grader can understand, someone’s jiving someone else."

They know they must be able to read and interpret listeners' nonverbal responses to their messages – how else will they know if the message is being received with the same intent with which it was sent? To do this, the best communicators capitalize on what neurologists call the "mirror neuron system," which allows people to empathize with and imitate each other. So when they see someone squirming and fidgeting, or leaning forward and lacing their fingers, they can almost feel what the listener is feeling and make adjustments.

The best communicators, therefore, look inside of themselves to construct logical, coherent messages; they also look outside of themselves to ensure that their messages are received accurately in both content and spirit.