Effective Communication: A 1000 Words Doesn’t Paint A Picture!

However … you can speak at a rate of 120 – 180 words per minute.

You can listen at a rate of 400 – 800 words per minute.

Your mind can process up to 3000 words per minute!!

Anybody see a problem here?

The Harvard Business review stated that 87% of business issues are due to the lack of effective communication skills NOT the competencies of the parties.

When our mind is processing information so much faster than the rate at which the other person is speaking, we create opportunities for dis-connection and … disconnection is the antithesis of effective communication.

So what do you do with the gap in communication speeds between speaking, listening, and the speed at which your brain processes?

Wanna find out? Grab a piece of paper and a pen and mark down how many of these things you’ve done in the last week from the list below.

10 Things That Will Kill Effective Communication:

1. Interrupted the other person.
2. Didn’t make eye contact with the other person.
3. Faked attention.
4. Distracted yourself.
5. Didn’t pay attention.
6. Said, “Yes, but . . . instead of Yes, and …”
7. Got ahead of the other person and finished their …. (yes the correct answer is sentence)
8. Didn’t respond and instead reacted to the other person’s point.
9. Talked more than you listened.
10. Told the other person what you wanted before you listened to what they needed.

Now total the number of items you checked and subtract it from 10. Now divide it by 10 and that will give you your Effective Communication Score?

So how did you do? 20% 30% … 80 %?

The good news is that regardless of what you scored you can increase your communication effectiveness by simply reviewing the list and then choosing to ‘do the opposite. ‘

For example, instead of interrupting … listen, instead of talking more … listen more, and instead of telling others what you want first … ask them what they need first!

It’s true,  a 1000 words doesn’t necessarily paint a picture, especially if your communication is ineffective …

Get the picture?