Communicate Like This |
12 chapters | 2023 |
PREFACE Passing on information and communicating, though closely related, are not the same. Take the example of a man in love with a woman oblivious to his feelings for her. How best can that man communicate to the woman his love for her? Is saying the three magic words—I love you—to her enough? Of course not. Communication is more than just passing on information—verbal or written—to an audience. It is about exchanging meaning between two people or more. And, although words play a central role in relaying meaning, by themselves, they are not enough. Going back to the example of the man in love, there are many other things he needs to get right in order for him to effectively communicate his love to the woman. For example, the time he chooses to say the three magic words should aid the woman’s appreciation of the meaning [of love] he wants to convey to her. He needs to speak to the woman when she is available and willing to listen to him, and for that, anytime is not the best time. As part of his communication, the man also has to ensure that the environment within which he speaks to the woman reinforces the meaning he seeks to share. In consideration of venue, a serene environment by the lakeside would better communicate love than a place of work. In addition to all the above, the man may still need to give the woman flowers and other gifts for a period of time before the woman fully appreciates the meaning in his “I love you” statement. While sharing information may be considered the backbone of communication, ultimately, audiences only respond to information when they appreciate the meaning in the information. Communication is a process that begins with identifying the meaning (not the words) one wants to share with a particular audience. The sender then packages their meaning in a message formatted for best comprehension by the audience. For example, one cannot package messages for children and adults in the same way. After the message has been packaged, the best transmission medium for the message—which will ensure that the target audience receives the sent message unaltered—is identified. For example, radio is a more effective transmission medium for messages to rural farmers in Uganda than social media. Once the message has been received by the intended audience, the audience decodes the meaning in the message and, if need be, offers feedback to the sender. This is the full communication cycle that enables the exchange of meaning to take place. Achieving the above communications cycle takes more than having the ability to gather and share information. As a matter of fact, each person receives messages from many sources of information every day. And any message that does not effectively communicate to them is regarded as noise and ignored. To be able to get your audience to stop seeing your messages as noise and start paying attention to the meaning in your messages is what this book has been designed to enable you achieve in all your communications. Communication is the circulatory system of any organisation because nothing can be achieved or sustained therein without it. Communicate like this and your organisation will soar. TOPICS COVERED (CHAPTERS)
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Turakira Ensinikwetyo is a |