Communication Skills: Clear, Rational and Positive

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Communication Skills: Clear, Rational and Positive

Your communication should always be:

1. Clear. People should always be able to understand what you mean.

2. Rational. Back your message with as many "reasons to believe" that what you say, is true and good.

3. Positive. Ensure that your message has a positive intent.

Let us look at each communication quality.

1. Make your communication clear, not vague.

Make your communication as clear, precise and accurate as possible.

Avoid ambiguity, vagueness or over-generalised language.

Vague, ambiguous words and phrases will cause miscommunication, confusion and error.

An example of vague communication would be: Please, send me those documents ASAP.

Can you see that ASAP denotes no definite meaning? ASAP is an example of vagueness.

On the other hand, clear, accurate and precise language will cause understanding and confidence to grow, in the mind of your listener.

Strive to be clear in your communication.

2. Make your communication rational.

Give good reasons to believe that what you say is true, right and good.

True means: Your message corresponds to the facts.

Right means: Your message corresponds to proper ethics.

Good means:The implementation of your ideas will result in progress towards your goals.

To make your communication more rational, use LOGIC.

Try to use a logical, scientific method of communicating your message. Provide a logical rational to support your ideas.

If you fail to provide a rational for your message, then nobody will have a reason to believe it.

If you do provide a logic to your message, them people will be more inclined to believe it.

3. Positive intent.

Try to imbue your communication with a sense of positivity.

This means be optimistic and friendly, with a can-do attitude.

• Optimistic means: You offer a vision of a better future.
• Can-do attitude means: you focus on what can be done and how: Not on what cannot be done and why.
• Friendly means: assuming a likeable tone, with signs of warmth, good humour and respect.

About the Author: Chris Farmer

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.

Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.

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Further Reading in Communication - Clear Communication

• Why we love logic
  To be successful and achieve your goals, you must act on logic and be rational when dealing with people.
  Read Article >
• Muhammad Ali: The Greatest Speaker in the World.
  Muhammad Ali was gifted. Gifted as a sportsman, as a speaker, as a writer, as a poet and as a politician.
  Read Article >
• A Course on Clear, Confident Communication
  A Course on Clear, Confident Communication Clear communication may be defined as the art of transferring an idea, or piece of information, from your mind, into the mind of another, without distortion, error, omission or misunderstanding: Meaning: the idea or piece of information, in the mind of the listener, at the...
  Read Article >
• How to improve the way I speak
  How to improve the way I speak It is important to be able to speak and to write clearly. One of the biggest mistakes you can make, at work, is to use ambiguous language. It is especially naughty to give ambiguous instructions. An ambiguous instruction is any instruction that is so...
  Read Article >
• Good Communication
  Good Communication At work, in order to become a more effective communicator, you need to develop three qualities: 1. Clarity: Everyone should be able to fully understand what you mean, even if they don't agree with you. Remember that misunderstandings will cause problems. Clarity is your main communication goal. 2. Rationality...
  Read Article >

Looking for Communication Skills Training?

If you're looking to develop your Clear Communication Skills, you may find this Communication Skills Training Course beneficial:

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