When communicating, whether writing, presenting, or simply having a conversation, how you deliver your message makes a difference.
Successful communication is when you are able to solve problems, provide new information, or persuade others to take action. During the communication process, there is a sender, receiver(s), and the message. A sender’s choices can create understanding or confusion.
For any kind of communications, if you want to get your message out, it is essential to have clear goals in mind. Successful communication serves one or more of these purposes:
To achieve these goals, it’s critical to remember that there are three components involved: the sender (you), the receiver(s) (your audience), and the message itself. Ultimately, it is your choices as the sender that will set up how your message is received.
Audiences are composed of people, all of whom have different perceptions. Receivers filter and interpret information from the senses to create a meaningful picture of the world. These questions will yield a variety of answers, simply because perceptions differ:
To avoid having messages misperceived, misconstrued, or misunderstood, choose language that will be understood by most (preferably all) of your recipients. Think of your audience before you communicate with them. Ask yourself:
Use the information compiled during planning and write freely and quickly. Writers must realize that writing a document is not a one-time happening. It will undergo revisions later, so in the first stages, write down everything you want first. Like planning for a party, it’s always better to have more than less. It will be edited later.
In writing and for speeches, revising is essential. Written work should be reviewed by you—and, ideally, others—before it reaches your audience. The same applies to speeches. Practice by reading your document aloud or delivering your speech to a small group or recording it for review whenever possible. Check for:
Now, go back and reread, or re-present the speech.
Improving your communication skills takes time and effort. It requires being aware, planning ahead, and making adjustments. These skills are important for success in both your personal and work life. By knowing your audience and organizing your ideas clearly, you can share messages that connect with people and encourage them to act.
THEN, PROOFREAD!
Improving Communications offers public and private classes to develop Business Writing, Public Speaking, Customer Service, and Leadership.
Visit our services and public classes pages to sign up for a virtual class, or call 516.317.2900 to find out more about what we offer.
Subscribe to the IC weekly newsletter for tips and advice on your communication skills!
Effective communication is empowering. Get started on your path to being more clear, brief, and effective.
Upcoming Classes