20th-century management guru Peter Drucker once said, “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t said.”
It’s often said that most of what we communicate comes in the form of non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication can be anything from tone to body language to format such as email or text. Therefore to be an effective communicator you must listen and watch for the non-verbal cues to help you truly understand the message and even the emotion behind what is being conveyed.
If you are a manager, a parent, a husband or wife, a teacher, a pastor, CEO or salesperson; mastering the art of unspoken communication can gain you a superpower when it comes to communicating effectively and building relationships.
Here are a few tips on mastering communication:
- Stop talking and focus on the speaker. Only one person can effectively communicate at one time. If you’re not speaking, you should be focused on listening – actually about 80% of the time.
- Listen with the intent to understand. So often we are in our own heads while the other person is speaking trying to think up what we will say next. Stop yourself from listening with the intent to respond and start listening with the intent to understand.
- Thoughtfully consider what has been said by asking probing questions. Sincerely invite conversation and inquire about others’ viewpoints.
- Feel for the emotion. Go beyond listening to just the words, listen for passion, conviction or confidence, especially if it is missing.
- Thank or congratulate the person who just offered a viewpoint to encourage their future participation.
In today’s world of remote working, effective communication is even harder. It is often easier to send a quick email or text making it harder to see and hear those non-verbal cues and allowing much room for misinterpretation. Keep this in mind the next time you want to communicate electronically with someone. Ask yourself, “does this format of communication allow for my message to be misinterpreted, if so, perhaps a phone call or zoom is a better way to relay your message and convey your true intent.
Drucker was right. What isn’t said is often more important than what is. DiSC® offers a common, easily understood language for people to learn about themselves and their priorities and communication style while also learning about others and how they can better interact in relationships. Learning about yourself allows you to better tune in to your own “inner voice” and have confidence in what you are communicating. DiSC® also allows you to better understand other priorities so you can better adapt to their style in order to effectively communicate.
If you’re interested in learning more about your DiSC® style and how you can more effectively communicate visit DiSC®Profiles4u.com to take our Quick DiSC® Style Survey to start your DiSC®overy today.
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