What is Effective Communication?

JERNEJ ZUPANC

AUGUST 9, 2016

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What is Effective Communication?

Topics

Business Communication (2)

Effective Communication (4)

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Scientific Papers (5)

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Every time you want to communicate meaningfully, you should first

consider the two important elements: the audience and the goal. You
should clearly define both within the context of your communication. The
reason is that different audiences require different approaches in order to
get them to the desired goals.
The purpose of the communication is to get the audience to the desired
goal, where the goal can mean to inform, persuade, explain, or to get the
audience to take action. Your goal could also be to make them laugh, cry
But for scientific communication, this is generally not the case. If you
manage to bring your audience to the desired goal, you can call that
communication successful.

Example: two audiences, two goals

Imagine you are a climatologist trying to communicate your research
results to two different audiences: (1) your peer scientists, and (2) policy
makers. In the first case, your goal is to present your research to scientists
who very well understand the science behind what you did. You want to
inform and convince them with your supporting data. In the case of policy
makers, you want to persuade them to take certain action which will
protect the environment. They have only vague knowledge on the science
behind what you did and are more interested in the implications of what
you discovered.

Should the communication in both cases be the same? Absolutely not. You
will never be able to achieve both goals if you use the same method of
communication. It is even more likely that youll fail in both cases. This is
why it is crucial to understand who exactly your audience is and what your
goals are before you start preparing your communication. Your
communication will be successful if your audience reaches the goal you
wanted.

Effective communication
At Seyens, we consider the communication to be effective if the audience
reaches the goal intuitively, effortlessly. This means that when they are
absorbing your communication, they dont have to think about the
method you are using, but only about the message.

How can that be achieved? Different methods of communication require

different principles in order to make the method as transparent as
possible. Some of the principles that can be applied to all methods are
concepts from psychology, especially perception. At Seyens, we focus on
everything that can improve the effectiveness of visual communication,
which is what we teach scientists at our workshops.

When to make sure you communicate

effectively?
Most of the communication we do in our everyday lives is quite successful.
We know to modify our behavior, vary our method/approach if we start to
see we arent getting our messages through. However, for the
communication to be effective, more effort has to be invested first into
acquiring the principles and later into preparing and delivering our
messages each and every time.

It may not be efficient to plan and polish all your daily communication.
However, you should think about the more important instances of
communication you deal with in business and relationships. Who are the
most important audiences and what are the goals you and they want to
achieve? What can you learn about the audiences to understand them
better? These are the questions you should be asking yourself if you want
to communicate effectively Especially if a lot is at stake.

Building Adult
Definition Example(s) Situation
Block Response

VERBAL:

1. Listening Focusing on the present; I feel that right now Dad, it's been Would you like to tell
not bringing you need me to just a terrible day. me about it? I'll just
up past problems or listen to you. Absolutely listen.
mistakes; creating safety to horribleI
express anything really messed
up!

2. Praising Giving earned rewards You worked so long Look at what I You worked a long
frequently; and so hard on the made with my time to build your city
recognizing efforts rather project. blocks and and look at how you
than products or end results trucks and used every block.
 sticks!

3. Feeling Sharing feelings such as 1) I feel , 2) I'm I hate you! I love you and feel
anger, joy, and frustration; so angry when you very sad when you
using "I" statements , and 3) I love say that.
you.

4. Letting others make 1) It's your choice. Mom, I don't What can I do to
Respecting decisions; avoiding judging and 2) What can I know what to help you with this
and advising; trying to help do to help you? do. He says tough decision?
him/her make his/her own he will break
decisions up with me if I
don't go all the
way.

5. Listening Identifying the feeling as It sounds like you I can't believe You sound very
well as the content and were that my frustrated and
asking the person to very frustrated by teacher is disappointed? Is that
confirm it the class change. Is giving me a right? Would you like
that right? "C" on my to talk about it?
paper. I
worked really
hard and did
everything he
told me to do.

6. Trusting Being consistent; asking for I know you will be She is a good I know I can trust
input and understanding thoughtful and driver. She is you and you have
that children need to learn responsible. careful and good judgment.
in their own way even if makes
they make mistakes everyone
wear a
seatbelt. Can I
ride to the
 lake with her?

7. Affirming Finding the positive to 1) You are so Dad, look at You are such a good
express competent. and 2) me, look at swimmer and know
You make me me! I swam to how to be safe in the
happy when you the other side water.
of the pool.

8. Reflective Reflecting what another You sound angry You won't You sound very
Listening says; paraphrasing a about your friend's believe what angry with her. Is
person's words so he/she response. Is that she said and that right? Would
know he/she has been so? did to me. I'll you like to talk about
heard never be her it?
friend again!

9. Clarifying Asking for more information Could you tell me I hate him. Can you tell me
when unsure more about your He's such a more about what
fight with your dumb-dumb. I happened with him?
friend? don't care if I
ever play with
him again.

NONVERBAL:

10. Acting Finding physical ways to 1) Making eye Your child You sit next to your
show care, concern, and contact, 2) comes home child, hold his/her
attention Touching when from school, hand, look him/her in
appropriate, 3) slams the the eye, and then tell
Hugging, 4) Staying door shut, him/her that you
near the person. drops his/her would like to know
clothes on the why he/she is so
floor, kicks the angry.
cabinet, and
turns on the
 TV.

Parent-Child Communication Basics: An Education Program to Enhance Parent-Child

Communication

VERBAL EXAMPLES

S-1. Listening Focusing on the present; I feel that right now

not bringing you need me to just
up past problems or listen to you.
mistakes;
creating safety to express
anything

S-2. Praising Giving earned rewards You worked so long

frequently; and so hard on the
recognizing efforts rather project.
than products or end
results

S-3. Feeling Sharing feelings such as I feel

anger, joy, and frustration;
using "I" statements I'm so angry when you

I love you.

S-4. Respecting Letting others make It's your choice.

decisions; avoiding
judging and advising; What can I do to help
trying to help him/her you?
make his/her own
 decisions

S-5. Listening Identifying the feeling as It sounds like you were

well as the content and very frustrated by the
asking the person to class change. Is that
confirm it right?

S-6. Trusting Being consistent; asking I know you will be

for input and thoughtful and
understanding that responsible.
children need to learn in
their own way even if they
make mistakes

S-7. Affirming Finding the positive to You are so competent.

express
You make me happy
when you

S-8. Reflective Reflecting what another You sound angry about

Listening says; paraphrasing a your friend's response.
person's words so he/she Is that so?
know he/she has been
heard

S-9. Clarifying Asking for more Could you tell me

information when unsure more about your fight
with your friend?

NONVERBAL EXAMPLES
S-10. Acting Finding physical ways to Making eye contact;
show care, concern, and touching when
attention appropriate; hugging;
staying near the person

10 ROAD BLOCKS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Road Block Definition Example(s)

Situation Adult Response 1. Judging Making a judgment 1) You should and 2) You
ought to Mom, I'm not sure what to do about my class schedule this year. It's
really tough with all the extras I've got to do. You should take every math and
science course offered. You ought to see how important that is. 2. Rejecting Giving
no support It's your problem, not mine. Dad, that boy just took my truck. It's your
problem. You solve it. 3. Blaming, Criticizing Placing fault on the other person It's
your fault. Mom, the jar of glue just fell over on the floor. Look what you did! The
carpet is ruined! It's all your fault! 4. Labeling Calling negative names or words that
are negative Only a dummy would do it that way. Your 8-year-old got dressed for
school orange and blue shirt, green and yellow striped pants, red socks, sandals,
and a baseball hat. Only a clown would dress like that for school! 5. Transferring Not
listening and jumping in with one's own problems Let me tell what happened to me.
Dad, it's not my fault my math teacher hates me. Let me tell you about my boss.
You think you've got trouble! 6. Ordering Giving solutions with no choices You must
do this now. I think I'll go to the movies tonight Mom. You will not. You're going to
stay home and study. You're going to bring your grades up. 7. Threatening, Bribing
Using threats or bribes to try to make someone do something 1) If you don't do
what I want and 2) If you do what I want, I do this for you. But Dad, it's the last
night for "Star Wars," and I haven't seen it. If you don't study, there will be no car
this weekend. 8. Waffling Not being clear and consistent in setting limits 1) Well,
maybe , 2) We'll see , and 3) I'll think about it Mom, I really need to know if I
can go to the concert on Saturday night. We'll seeI'll think about it. 9. Nagging
Persistently repeating orders or requests 1) I've told you a thousand times and 2)
How many times do I have to ask you to I'll pick up the puzzle later Dad. I'm not
going to tell you again. I've told you ten times to pick it up. Now! 10. Acting Using
body language that sends negative messages or that rebuffs; being physically
abusive 1) Crossing arms, 2) Not looking at speaker, 3) Walking away, 4) Tapping
feet, 5) Shaking finger in face, 6) Hitting, and 7) Kicking. Your child comes home
from school, slams the door shut, drops his/her clothes on the floor, kicks the
cabinet, and turns on the TV. You frown, cross your arms, tap your foot, and stand in
front of your