Effective communication leads to strong human relations, which is vital to success in both your personal life and your career life. Whether you are communicating orally or via the written word, whether you are listening selectively or empathetically, or whether you are standing straight or slouching, each of these elements impacts how you relate to others and how others are willing to relate to you.
Written Word
The written word is perhaps the most challenging way to communicate with other people because all you have is words on paper. Clarity depends on the effectiveness of the writer and the knowledge base of the reader. If you need to communicate via the written word, especially if you are working with email, take some time to look over your writing before hitting the "Send" button. Look for words or phrases that might be misinterpreted, and do your best to make them completely clear.
Spoken Word
Your spoken words play a large part in the relationships you build with the people around you, and the spoken words of others give you greater insight into their emotions and opinions. Choose your words carefully; you don't want to use words that are too strong or inappropriate for your audience. Also remember that your vocal inflections and tones can convey more than your words. It is easy to tell what is important to a person by the emphasis in his voice,and it is easy to tell if a person is happy or sad or angry based on his vocal tones. You can use these cues to make you a more efficient communicator as well as a better listener.
Listening
How you listen to a person is a big part of the human relations balance. There are five types of listening. Pretending to listen is rather self explanatory, and selective listening means you only hear what you want to hear. If you are listening to understand, you are processing content without factoring in any vocal cues. Empathetic listening means you are paying attention to both content and vocal inflections in an attempt to create trust with the speaker. Facilitative listening goes a step beyond empathetic listening by helping the speaker understand options and reach conclusions.
Body Language
From posture to handshake to eye contact, your body language affects your relationships with your family, friends and colleagues. Good posture conveys confidence; slouching conveys lack of confidence. Eye contact, or lack thereof, can be a sign of intent or a hint at a lie. Handshakes are a major part of the first impression you make in a relationship. A weak handshake can put off a potential client or employer, while a strong, firm handshake will impress.
Building Trust
Trust is a major part of human relations. Any relationship, whether personal or business, will not go anywhere if it lacks basic trust. You can use your words, body language and listening skills to build that trust at home, at school, at work or with friends. A trusting relationship invites and encourages opinions and suggestions. Building trust is something you can practice every day by taking the time to communicate effectively with others.
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