WIFE TEXTS HUSBAND ON A COLD WINTER MORNING,
“WINDOWS FROZEN.”
Husband texts back, “Pour some lukewarm water on it.”
WIFE TEXTS BACK 5 MINUTES LATER,
“COMPUTER REALLY SCREWED UP NOW.”
I am absolutely crazy for communication! I LOVE IT. I have been called a “Communication Geek” by one of my clients because of my passion for it. I have dedicated my life to mastering communication. It is the source of all success and failure.
What makes communication so amazing? You can make everything work better when you communicate effectively.
I know, I know… improving communication is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about improving the bottom line or producing more results… but it should be.
Many people think of communication as a soft skill or “touchy feel-y.” But it isn’t.
In fact, IT IS THE ONE SKILL THAT TRUMPS ALL OTHERS.
Think about it:
- One miscommunication from a manager or executive can muck up the works for the entire team.
- Misinterpretation between and among employees leads to mistakes, lower productivity, reprimands, disciplinary action, etc.
- Unresolved conflict in the workplace causes stress, frustration, cliques, gossip, etc.
- Ineffective communication leaves a bad impression
I could go on… but I think you get the point.
You know the number one problem with communication?
People think they know how to do it but they don’t. People think that because they can talk, write, and hear that means they know how to communicate. That’s like saying just because you know how to turn a computer on you are a whiz.
Communication is very complex and has nuances that most people are not aware of. I have spent more than 25 years learning everything I could about communication and I have discovered the keys to effective communication. I also know how to teach it to others so that they don’t have to spend 25 years mastering communication.
Here’s the bottom line… if you are dissatisfied or unfulfilled in ANY AREA of your life consider it is a communication issue. Take time to learn how to communicate better, inquire into how you are listening or interpreting the communication of others and how it is impacting your communication.
If you want to set yourself apart from the pack or in any way get ahead at work… develop your communication skills. Seriously, no one else is so you will stand out in the crowd and be seen as an asset. When others are complaining, DON’T engage. Instead, look for a way to redirect the conversation onto a solution, e.g., “I wonder who we could talk to about resolving that?”
Lisa Giruzzi
YourCommunicationAuthority.com
