An Essential for Progress/ Communication

While I always declare that the true spelling of luck is h-a-r-d  w-o-r-k, time and time again, it has been proved that mere hard work is not enough. Those who shine and rise like stars sometimes accomplish their goals through means that I am not here to discuss. There is this other lot of successful people who progress because they are efficient and deserve to. One of the key factors to their success is what I would like to focus on.

If we break it down, the first two factors of success are ability and efficiency. When we break it down further, it comes down to  innate qualities, inclinations, the right knowledge and consistently completing all tasks well and in good time. It is also essential to keep honing whatever skill we have to reach our goal of being excellent. This of course, is something everyone knows. In my opinion, the next factor for success is how we apply our core job related skills and the next is, being compliant. I dare say, establishing oneself as an expert while we are at it, enhances our chances of success to a great extent.

We all know that even if a person possesses all the factors I have just mentioned, success is not guaranteed. One may even become important and be much in demand and yet not achieve the desired and  well deserved recognition.

When we do something as mundane as select fruits or vegetables, we go for only that which appears to be the best. At times, some fruits and vegetables look so fresh and good that we end up purchasing them even if we do not really need them. This point may seem out of context but imagine people being selected for the next rung or role, this is often based largely on impressions. The decision makers will only choose those who stand out. As skilled and efficient as one may be, the chances of standing out only come when everyone recognises this in us.

The question then becomes, how do we get recognised? The answer is as simple as it is hard (for some): communicate effectively. A single grammatical error or mispronounced word conjures up a detrimental image or leads to confusion, badly formed sentences indicate haste and a certain lack of care. Inability to express oneself effectively may even be instrumental in others being unaware of the skills and efficiency a person possesses. On the other hand, perfectly written or spoken messages act like a neon sign that boldly flashes true worth.

There is no doubt that effective communication is about knowing the language well. However, that is only the foundation.  The next essential step is acquiring the habit of naturally thinking in the language we communicate in. In it’s absence, the possibility of arranging our words in a manner that actually befits the language we are thinking in, is extremely high.

Needless to mention, grammar and spelling also count for a lot. Using the right words and phrases, bears a huge impact on the message. This requires a good active vocabulary and inculcating the habit of referring to a dictionary. Knowing the precise meaning and correct usage for each word and phrase, reduces the chance of ambiguity in what we say or write. Many words and phrases have endless number of synonyms for a good reason. A good active vocabulary is also essential to brevity which in my opinion, is king. It ensures that attention is retained till the last point is made. If a person is sure about all the facets mentioned so far, the question of being hesitant about communicating hardly arises.

At times, responses become inadequate because the highest level of listening, an imperative component of communication, is missing. The highest level of listening occurs only when the listener is not apprehensive or nervous about what has to be said in response and furthermore, when comprehension is not a constraint.

Knowledge of how to communicate effectively even when under duress, being professional in everything one says and writes and speaking up as and when required will get people  noticed and create the impression of their being efficient, capable and reliable.

Effective communication is always precise and clear and thus a time saver. Those long-winded conversations and endless back and forth email communications are minimised. In addition, giving and following instructions, being consistently clear, documentation and maintaining records become easy to handle.

The absence of good communication skills hinders efficiency of individuals and thereby the organisation. Often, people with lesser skills make progress because they communicate well and create the right impression in doing so. They are taken to be the best for the next position of responsibility. All the while, a  better worker with negligible communication skills may not have even been noticed. In my opinion this is not entirely unfair to the better performer as it is every individuals’ responsibility to work on and improve all the possible skills to get ahead.

To sum up, effective communication  is one of the keys to efficiency, it’s absence costs in more ways than most imagine.