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. Being an effective communicator in our professional and personal lives involves learning the skills to exchange information with clarity, empathy, and understanding. For communication to be effective, it must be clear, correct, complete, concise, and compassionate. We consider these to be the 5 C’s of communication, though they may vary depending on who you’re asking. Effective Every communication should have a clear purpose and should achieve that purpose to be effective. This includes what is said, how it is delivered, when it is sent/published and why people should take notice. You need to communicate your message in the fewest possible words, have the consistency of tone, voice, and content so that you can save time. Short, punchy statements are often more effective than rambling prose. Diagrams and images provide impact and clarity. Visual design should provide a good UX, support the message and the brand and make it easy for people to engage and pick out the important elements. Each message must have a logical conclusion and a call to action. Comprehensive People shouldn’t be left wondering if there is more to come. The information communicated should be adequate and complete. Where possible, it should fully address the purpose and provide enough that the recipients can take the required action without delay, confusion or a reduction in productivity or motivation. Where communication cannot be completed in a single message etc. then it should clearly indicate that there is more to follow, with requisite when and how. Clarity The purpose of messages should be clear; worded in such a way that the receiver understands the same thing which the sender wants to convey. Communications shouldn’t leave your team confused. Be clear of the format you want to say it in. Be clear about your goal or purpose. It is also essential that the receiver is conversant with the language, inherent assumptions, and the mechanics of communication. Typically, sentences should be short, in the active voice and key elements stated it in separate bullet points. Attention and Style In good communication, the receiver’s attention is drawn to the message. People are different in behaviour, attention, emotions etc. so they may respond differently to the message. This may require constructing different message formats for different roles and grades. Senior staff should be seen to be acting in accordance with the messages, using the messaging tools and supporting the messaging processes. Formal communication is generally used for transmitting messages and other information; however, sometimes informal communication may prove more effective. Informal communication can be helpful for assessing the reaction of employees towards various policies. Both types should embrace the organization’s ethos; commonly this is positive, honest, respectful, open and polite. Coherency Communication often takes place across multiple tools/formats and over a period of time. It’s important that communication remains logical, well-planned, and self-reinforcing across these. There should be a good connection with the main topic and, often linked to company values, principles, and mission. Equally, communication should be consistent with the policies, plans, programs and objectives of the organization and not in conflict with them. Timeliness and Urgency Communication should be done at proper time and with the appropriate level of impact and urgency, to ensure that messages can be understood and acted upon to achieve their objective. It should be possible to differentiate Urgent and Import information and understand the time scale for any actions. There should be confidence that communication reaches their audience when intended. Importance of Feedback Feedback is very important to confirm that communication has been effective and to resolve questions, allow challenge, clarify actions etc. Sometimes there is a compliance requirement or monitoring function that needs to be addressed via feedback or a ‘read receipt’. Asking questions For starters, asking questions provides you with feedback, as the answers you receive will offer insight into the situation at hand. The answers will also reassure you that you’re being helpful, even if you don’t feel like you are doing much by simply asking questions. Purpose of questions By using the right questions in a particular situation, you can improve a whole range of communications skills. For example, you can gather better information and learn more, you can build stronger relationships, manage people more effectively, and help others to learn too. It is a powerful tool that can cause the desired impact and invoke the right emotions and thoughts. A good question can ignite creativity and also educate students. While developing good questions may seem like a pretty straightforward task, it is not as simple as it looks. A good question needs to have a personality of its own which is made of specific characteristics. Here are some of the most essential characteristics of a good question. 1. Relevant A good question is relevant. It focuses on recall of only the material covered in your lesson and aligns well with the overall learning objectives. If you ask ‘What are the branches of soil science?’ for an introductory lesson that focused on only the type of soil, then it doesn’t really qualify as a relevant question. A better and more relevant question in this context would be ‘What are the characteristics of each type of soil?’. 2. Clear A good question is framed in a clear, easily understandable language, without any vagueness. Students should understand what is wanted from the question even when they don’t know the answer to it. The question ‘What are your rights?’ might be perceived as confusing and vague since it doesn’t specifically state which rights are sought. On the other hand, if you ask ‘What basic rights are covered under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?’, the same question becomes clear and specific. 3. Concise A good question is usually crisp and concise. It omits any unnecessary information that requires students to spend time understanding it correctly. The idea is not to trick learners but assess their knowledge. Consider this question for example: ‘Since distemper in canines affects several body systems like the gastrointestinal tracts, respiratory tracts, spinal cord, and the brain, how should canines be treated for it?’. This question gives a lot of information than what is required. It could simply be rephrased as ‘How to treat distemper in canines?’. 4. Purposeful A question without a definite purpose has no value. The purpose helps evaluate the question against some set benchmarks. A good question can seek both innate and specific knowledge. A question stating ‘What is the capital of France?’ requires the student to just exercise their memory to answer it. And if that is the purpose you have set, the question is totally justified. But if the purpose is to evaluate and enhance the student’s ability to reason, the same question might need to be stated as ‘How Paris is well located to be the capital of France?’. 5. Guiding But Not Leading A good question guides the learners towards understanding the concept in the picture. But at the same time, it doesn’t lead them to specific answers. For example, ‘Since infant formula is a safe substitute for breastmilk, should its use be normalized?' is an extremely biased question that assumes formula to be safe for infants and leads users to state a ‘yes’ for an answer. Instead, this question could simply be rephrased as ‘Do you think the use of infant formula needs to be normalized?’. 6. Stimulates Thinking A good question requires learners to think through and recall the concepts taught. It doesn’t patronize them by asking the obvious. ‘Can you survive without water?’ is the perfect example of a question that doesn’t stimulate any thinking because questions a universally accepted fact. ‘How long does it take to die from the lack of water?’ might be a better question in this regard. 7. Single-Dimensional Remember, one question is one question. And hence, a good question focuses on one dimension at a time. If there are multiple ideas to evaluate, it is better to split them into multiple questions. ‘When did World War II begin and why was it fought?’ is a multi-dimensional question that requires students to examine two things at a time. It is recommended to divide it into two distinct questions to facilitate easier and better recall: ‘When did World War II begin?’ and ‘Why was World War II fought?’. Why is asking the right questions important? Asking the right questions can help you find the information you seek. It's essential to ask specific questions as you likely want a specific answer. Additionally, learning how to ask the right questions is important in developing effective communication skills. Excellent communication skills can help you share information and educate others, improve your interpersonal skills, build better relationships or manage people more effectively. How to ask the right questions 1. Think about what you want to know Think about what you hope to learn. More specific questions can often elicit more specific answers. You can also determine whether your query will likely result in a fact-based answer or someone else's opinion in advance. For instance, when applying for a job, you might want to understand how well your work ethic aligns with the organization's mission. You might ask the interviewer for their perspective on the company. This more personalized answer helps determine whether you'd be a good fit for the role. 2. Develop an open-ended question Create an open-ended question related to what you want to know. Open-ended questions refer to any question that a person may not answer with a simple "yes" or "no" answer. Also, open-ended questions may help the person you have questions for feel more comfortable as you do not limit their response. Consider making your question easy to understand, unbiased and about one topic to ensure clarity. 3. Find the right person Choose the right person to answer your questions. The right person depends on what you hope to learn. Reach out to the person, and ask them if they would be available and willing to answer some questions you have. It can also be beneficial to ask someone you might not normally ask to understand all perspectives. For instance, even though an interviewer might be a good person to ask about the role, they might only note the positives. You could gain a more unbiased perspective about the company by using networking sites to talk to other employees. 4. Allow the person to answer It's important to choose the right time to ask questions. Try to reserve time for the conversation to ensure you have enough time to ask questions without worrying about rushing. Allow the person plenty of time to answer your question. While you may have good intentions, an interruption may cause the person to think you do not value their answer. Instead, wait for them to finish their answer and prepare questions to ask to gain clarification. 5. Ask follow-up questions Ask follow-up questions to learn more about the situation. However, it's important to be friendly and choose questions that inspire additional conversation rather than causing the person to become defensive. Ask questions that highlight your natural curiosity and genuine desire to learn more. 6. Thank the person Thank the person for their time and response. Ensure they understand how much you appreciate their help. Expressing your gratitude can make it easier to ask for their help if you require it again. Appreciation also encourages an overarching culture of asking questions, which allows them and others to approach you when they don't know the answer to a problem.
