Page 376 - Effective Communication Soft Skills Strategies For Success by Nitin Bhatnagar, Mamta Bhatnagar
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364    |    Model Question Papers

                   v.    Congeniality:  They  maintain  friendly,  pleasant  relations  with  you.  Regardless  of
                      whether you agree with them, good communicators command your respect and
                      goodwill. You are willing to work with them again, despite your differences.
                   Effective communicators work hard at perfecting the messages they deliver. When they
                   make mistakes, they learn from them. If a poorly written memo does not get the response
                   they hoped for, they change their approach the next time around. If a meeting they are
                     running gets out of control or becomes unproductive, they do things differently at the
                   next one. If they find themselves having to explain themselves over and over again, they
                   reevaluate their choice of communication medium or rework their message.
                     It is essential to understand what it means to communicate effectively. Four themes
                   emerge as effective guidelines for overcoming barriers and improving your communi-
                   cation skills:

                       i.  Fostering an open communication climate.
                     ii.  Committing to ethical communication,
                   iii.  Adopting an audience-centred approach to communication.


              Fostering an open communication climate
              An organization’s or educational institute’s communication climate is a reflection of its culture:
              the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a place to its atmosphere or personality.
              Some academic institution’s tend to block off the upward flow of communication, believing
              that debate is time consuming and unproductive. Some other institutions, work to maintain an
              open communication climate. They encourage openness and honesty, and their employees feel
              free to confess their mistakes, to disagree with the superiors, and to express their opinions.


              Committing to ethical communication

              The second guideline for effective communication is a commitment to ethics, the principles of
              conduct that govern a person or a group. Unethical people are essentially selfish and unscrupu-
              lous, saying or doing whatever it takes to achieve an end. Ethical people are generally trustworthy,
              fair, and impartial, respecting the rights of others and concerned about the impact of their actions
              on society. Former Supreme Court Justice Mr. Venkata Chalamaiah defined ethics as ‘knowing
              the difference between what you have a right to do and what is the right thing to do’.
                Ethics plays a crucial role in communication. Language itself is made up of words that
              carry values. So merely by saying things a certain way, you influence how others perceive
              your message, and you shape expectations and behaviours. Ethical communication includes
              all relevant information, is true in every sense, and is not deceptive in any way.
                When sending an ethical message, you are accurate and sincere. You avoid language that
              manipulates, discriminates, or exaggerates. You do not hide negative information behind an
              optimistic attitude, you don’t state opinions as facts, and you portray graphic data fairly. You
              are honest with employers, co-workers, and clients, never seeking personal gain by making







       Bhatnagar_Model Question Paper.indd   364                                         2011-06-24   3:12:37 PM
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