To be an effective communicator, you need to be self-aware. Watch organisational psychologist Tasha Eurich explain what our self-awareness is, why it’s important and how we can develop it further in this short video.
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Transcript: Video 3
TASHA EURICH
Do we know who we are? That is one of the most important questions we can ask. And our research shows that 95% of people think that we know ourselves, we think we're self-aware, but the real number is closer to 10% to 15%. So what I talk about in my work is, that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's something we should be really cognizant of and really try to improve as much as we can, because most of us have a lot of work to do.
The reason I call self-awareness the metaskill of the 21st century is that everything we need to know how to do in today's world is entirely dependent on our level of self-awareness. So you think about communication or influence or collaboration, all types of skills that we need in the workplace, we can only be as good at each of those as we are self-aware. And so if we work on self-awareness, it has a ripple effect to almost everything in our lives.
So I would give three tips to increase self-awareness. Number one, we have found in our research that people who are self-aware tend to have a really open and curious mindset about themselves. They're less likely to beat themselves up and more likely to say, well what went wrong? What can I learn? So I think that's one piece.
The second thing is to do what I call a daily check, and those are really easy, but it can really lead to a lot of insight. So at the end of every day, ask yourself three questions. Number one, what went well today? Two, what didn't go well? And three, what can I learn to be smarter tomorrow? So that's number two.
Number three is something I call the Dinner of Truth, and since we're talking about leaders and organisations, maybe I'll call it the Power Lunch of Truth. And what you do is you find someone that will tell you the truth that you trust will be honest with you, that you know has your best interests at heart, you take them to a meal, and you ask them, what do I do that's most annoying to you? And then you sit back and bask in the insight, try to not be defensive or to be as non-defensive as possible, and use that as a way to catalyse even more feedback.
End transcript: Video 3
Video 3
Increasing your self-awareness allows you to communicate more honestly, with greater openness to the feedback you might receive. As a consequence, you will communicate more effectively with those around you.
FAQs
Effective communication in the workplace is not just relaying information to a team member, but explaining it in a way they understand. The receiver also focuses on gaining the entire meaning of the conversation and makes the other person feel heard and understood.
What are the 5 C's of communication? ›
For effective communication, remember the 5 C's of communication: clear, cohesive, complete, concise, and concrete. Be Clear about your message, be Cohesive by staying on-topic, Complete your idea with supporting content, be Concise by eliminating unnecessary words, be Concrete by using precise words.
What are 5 ways to communicate effectively? ›
- 5 Tips to Communicate More Effectively. Use Intentional Techniques to Build Stronger Relationships—Personal and Professional. ...
- Be an engaged listener. Of course, the way you choose to send your message matters. ...
- Express yourself. ...
- Pay attention to nonverbal signs. ...
- Control your emotions. ...
- Make intentional language choices.
Effective communication skills help you to receive and convey information, ideas and messages in ways that are powerful and appropriate to the situation.
- WRITTEN COMMUNICATION. ...
- ORAL COMMUNICATION. ...
- NON-VERBAL AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION. ...
- ACTIVE LISTENING. ...
- CONTEXTUAL COMMUNICATION.
The 7 Cs stand for: clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous. Though there are a few variations. You can use the 7 Cs as a checklist in your written and spoken messages.
What are the 5 P's of effective communication? ›
Incorporating these five P's – pitch, pace, pause, projection, and passion – into your public speaking can significantly enhance your delivery and captivate your audience. Experiment with different techniques, practice regularly, and pay attention to your audience's response to fine-tune your speaking skills.
What are the 7 steps of effective communication? ›
How to Be an Effective Communicator in 7 Easy Steps
- Identify Your Objectives. What do you hope to accomplish, either immediately or long term? ...
- Listen Actively. Communication isn't just about what you say. ...
- Note Your Body Language. ...
- Know Your Audience. ...
- Pace Yourself. ...
- Choose the Right Time. ...
- Be Clear.
At its core, effective communication is the ability to competently and clearly relay the correct information to the correct people at the correct time. It's a staple of what makes a successful team, but effective communication is increasingly fleeting.
What does effective communication look like? ›
For communication to be effective, it must be clear, correct, complete, concise, and compassionate. We consider these to be the 5 Cs of communication, though they may vary depending on who you're asking.
What are the basic principles of good communication? ›
The 8 basic principles of communication are clarity, timeliness, coherence, urgency, conciseness, correctness, courteousness, and completeness. Similar to Cialdini's principles of persuasion, the eight principles of communication are the driving force behind messaging that resonates and persuades.
There is a huge difference between the talented communicator and an effective communicator. The elements required to be effective are trust, respect, understanding, empathy and resolution. We will explore each of these.
What are the four 4 basic steps to good communication? ›
There are four steps to make this happen and they are as follows:
- Approach in an open way: When we are asked to communicate, we see that situation as threatening. ...
- Understand your audience: ...
- Context in which you speak: ...
- Structure the messages:
by Bento C. Leal III, we are introduced to the four essential keys to effective communication: validation, empathy, assertiveness, and self-expression. Leal explains that these keys are crucial in all aspects of our lives, including our relationships, work, and personal growth.
What is effective employee communication? ›
Employee communication refers to the sharing of ideas between the employee and the management of the organization. Effective employee communication is essential for the success of an organization. The good news is that there are various channels to communicate with your employee effectively.
What is effective communication in simple words? ›
Effective communication is the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and data so that the message is received and understood with clarity and purpose. When we communicate effectively, both the sender and receiver feel satisfied.
What are the 5 importances of effective communication? ›
It ensures everyone understands their duties and responsibilities, helps build quality client and employee relationships and keeps employees engaged and productive. Business owners should prioritize effective communication in their organization if they want to ensure employee satisfaction and promote high performance.
