being a good communicator is essential

[PG1995]

Hi

I need your advice. As you know being a good communicator is essential for every job these days. What is unfortunate is that in many universities little importance is given to cultivate skills in the students which make them good communicator. This is more true of the area where I live. I have seen many students who have degrees but they are not good at communication. I, myself, am also not a good communicator. I'm sure many of them would be good in their respective technological fields. But a poor communicator person is like a computer which can be helpful but don't know how to express itself. And further one shouldn't blame them for being a bad communicator. The problem is multi-dimensional. Some of them come from backgrounds which don't give them much opportunity to improve themselves 'culturally'.

Please also have a look here.

What can I do to make myself a good communicator? Are there any books which can recommend? Please help me. Thanks.

Regards
PG

 

[SABorn]

Why are you asking this on an electronic forum.

Google might be your friend here.

 

[JimB]

Why are you asking this on an electronic forum.

May be because he realises that there are many here on ETO who rely on good communications in their day to day work and are willing to give advice.

Are there any books which can recommend?

There is a book called "Eats Shoots and Leaves", I have never looked at it but I think it may help.

What can I do to make myself a good communicator?

Don't use "textspeak" in any written communication.

When speaking:
Think what you are going to say before you say it.
Do not mumble and mutter.
Speak slowly and clearly.
Speak in the standard language (English?) appropriate to the location.
Do not use local dialect if the listener does not understand it.
When speaking to someone, look at them, do they look like they are understanding what you are saying?

Generally:
Does the listener/reader know the background to what you are telling them?
If not, ensure that there is enough information to put what you are saying into context.
Read through written communications checking for typing errors and ambiguities.
If time allows, when you have finished writing something take a quick break before reading it, does it still make sense?

Just a few ideas, based on years of experience.

JimB

 

[PG1995]

Many, many thanks, JimB. I really appreciate the goodness of people like you who really understand others' issues.

Best wishes
PG

 

[tcmtech]

Here are a few more things to consider when dealing with others in work.

1. You where not hired to to tell everyone what is not your job. That is I had a pair of managers at one job that knew everything about what was not his job but clearly didn't know a dammed thing about what it was they where supposed to do.

2. When asked a question try to come up with a honest answer from what you see to be true but if you don't know then just say so and explain why you don't know or at least offer to help find out what information you can. Same two guys again.

3. Never walk away from someone right in the middle of a conversation let alone one of your own sentences when it becomes clear that you don't know what to do or what to say about a question. I had one manager that would constantly do that when ever he had no answer. It does not make you look superior rather it makes you look like a ignorant idiot with near zero communication and social skills.

4. Don't lie to people. Regardless of how much you think that others you work around do not talk about what you say or do believe me they do. Two lies do not cover up a first lie ever and the more you lie the more they will talk and compare your lies from one subject to another.

5. Don't blame others for your mistake and never place the blame for your screw ups on someone else. This goes right along with the people talk about you when you are not around comment. IF you are considering blaming someone for something you did the odds are greatly in their favor that they have a far more creditable witnesses, ones you do not know about or have no control over, to what really happened that to what you say happened. Same two mangers I had again. A well known lier does not make a creditable witness when blaming someone for something they did not do especially when they have actual witnesses.

Thats the five basics of proper and positive communication. Don't pass your job off on others, if you don't know then just say so, don't walk away like a an idiot in the middle of a conversation you are clearly part of, don't lie, and don't attempt to cover up your lie with more lies.

 

[PG1995]

Thanks a lot, tcmtech. I really appreciate what you have told me to do in order to become good communicator.

Regards
PG

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Unfortunately, you need to agree on a vocabulary and it's important to define things before you talk about them. One on one is usually easier because they can interrupt ypu One to a group is much harder. You have to define every step.

It's always an interesting exercise to listen to someone tell you how their program works even if you don't know the specific language. They will find the error almost every time.
It's funny in a way. I used that technique a lot.

 

[RadioRon]

The greater good in spoken communication comes from listening rather than speaking. Similarly, reading carefully, with comprehension and thoughtful consideration of what has been written is your first step in written or ptinted communication..

Good communication begins with you understanding another. Once you understand, then it is useful to speak or write your point of view, and to this end the many suggestions found in this thread can be applied.

 

[tcmtech]

Similarly, reading carefully, with comprehension and thoughtful consideration of what has been written is your first step in written or ptinted communication..

Also running it through a good proof read and a quick spell check before submitting doesn't hurt either.