Mastering the Art of Communication

Without stating the obvious, communication is the fundamental element of any interactions between human beings. It is the backbone of a successful relationship either it is a marriage, a friendship or a partnership. No one can deny the fact that it is an essential ingredient in establishing a lucrative business.

We may wish to explore the reasons behind our needs to communicate. One of the main incentives or motivation to communicate is the fact that we refer to communication to satisfy our daily needs.

We communicate to enhance our knowledge, to get directions, to solve problems, to land a suitable position or employment, to enlarge our circles of friends by establishing new friendships, to familiarize ourselves with current affairs or to discover ourselves.

Most experts in the languages of communication believe that it is an art that can be honed through continuous practice. Despite the fact that it does not, entirely, depend upon the educational background of an individual, having sufficient and diversified knowledge facilitate the process of an effective communication.

The most important question pertinent to the issue should focus on the means of conducting a stimulating conversation with someone of interest. According to the latest studies of the human behavior or conduct, nowadays most people possess a short span of focus that may last less than a minute.

How can one keep the partner in a conversation interested or at least involved? That objective may be achieved through asking questions without giving the impression that one is being interrogated.

It is essential that the questions should be short and focused on subjects of interest to the partner. Otherwise, he or she will lose interest and get bored which may prompt him or her to terminate the conversation with some lame excuses.

Asking questions accomplishes two objectives. The first objective is forcing the target of the question to listen in order to be able to respond to the question.

The second goal is gearing him or her toward being an active participant in the conversation by answering the question.

Out of politeness, the individual, who is the target of the question, may reciprocate by directing the same question or a similar one to the other person in the conversation. The questions and answer will go back and forth. Consequently, the conversation will be reciprocal and will last a long time.

It is recommended that we ought to use all available means of communication such as gestures and the elements of the body language to get our points of view across.
The next question will deal with the essential attributes or traits of an excellent communicator. One must possess the following qualities:

• Having sufficient and diversified knowledge

• Possessing the capacity to be an attentive listener

• Being able to respond in a brief yet eloquent and effective manner

• Acquiring enough confidence that would permit an individual the opportunity to be assertive in expressing his or her views without apprehension or fear

• Being an open-minded person, which would prompt him or her to listen to opposite views without attempting to belittle them even if they contradict his or hers

• Having friendly attitude that would help him or her to approach others along with instilling within them the feeling of seeing him or her as an accessible individual

Now, you should ask yourself “Am I an excellent communicator?” If your answer is negative, you ought to pose the following question “Am I capable of mastering the art of communication and how can I accomplish that objective?”

Can one survive without being communicative? Logic prompts us to believe that it is possible for some people to exist with the minimum efforts to communicate with others unless it is absolutely necessary.

Of course, the above views may or may not be shared by others. However, I hope that my article will open a forum of discussion to deal with the issue at hand.