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Some Myths and Facts on Effective Communication Skills
from:Author J Sharkey
Communication, like so many other activities of humanity has a lot of myths surrounding it. Some have basis in the truth, but others are just blind rationalizations of people who are willing to use any excuse to promote their services. Here are some myths and facts on effective communication skills.
Myth 1. Effective communication skills can solve every problem. –The true fact on effective communication skills is that there are some problems that cannot be solved despite being understood. People say that the only reason why people have so many problems is that they cannot truly understand each other. When you think about it, this may seem true. Taking a look around, you will see that most of our problems actually do stem from lack of proper communication and understanding. However, even if all people were able to communicate effectively, we would still have disagreements.
Inherently, we are all different. Even if we all somehow started being able to make ourselves understood clearly, we would still hold our own opinions regarding different things. Here's an illustration:
You like apples and you think that they are the best fruit in the world. Another person holds the opinion that oranges are the best fruit in the world. Even if you were able to communicate effectively, you still will not be able to change his opinion.
Myth 2. Verbal communication is more effective than non-verbal – People, being used to words, have a great tendency to say that words are the most effective means of communication. And so, they tend to try and develop their verbal communication skills more. However, the fact on effective verbal communication skills is that they cannot do everything.
Sure, words can say that a person is sad, but a single teardrop does that as effectively. In fact, people say that pictures are worth a thousand words. People only think that verbal communication is the best since this is the type of communication they most commonly and consciously use. However, have you ever realized how much you are able to tell about people just by looking at them?
Of course, this does not mean that non-verbal communication is better than using words. However, we should realize that people use both verbal and non-verbal communication in their everyday lives and to ask which one is better would be like asking a bird which wing is more useful to its flight.
Myth 3. The effectiveness of communication is determined by technology – For some, this can be true. Technology today makes sure that messages do not get garbled up. The internet, specifically, was designed to let people deliver their messages with as little interference as possible. However, the true fact on effective communication skills is that people determine their effectiveness. How a person sends a message and how another receives it determines the clarity of the message. The perception of both the receiver and the sender determines just how intact the message is when it reaches its goal.
The fact of effective communication skills is that it lies within a person. No machine can help make your communication skills more effective if you do not take steps to improve it yourself. Technology can affect communication, and improve the channels through which the process flows. However, the effectiveness of communication still lies in the ability of people.
Communication Specific links
Communication News
Communication breakdown (The Beaver County Times)
ATLANTA — The Federal Aviation Administration said a communication failure Tuesday at a Georgia facility that processes flight plans for the eastern half of the U.S. was causing flight delays around the country.
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