We would all agree and would give a rating that communication skill is the most important quality necessary for business leaders.
Business needs people with good communication skills. Everyone at every level needs communicational ability to sell what one has and buy what one needs. Especially at higher levels of management, improved communication skills improve chances for success. How you communicate your ability and accomplishments to others is a reflection on the quality of your work.
But a question may arise as to why managers need to communicate. A manager has to deal with different kinds of people — on the production side, on the administration side and on the marketing side. A manager has to be alert while buying raw materials and machinery for production, avoid wastage during production and sell when and where the market is favourable.
Further, communication needs to be proper, because free-flowing communication serves several purposes imperative for the very survival of the organisation.
First, it provides a feed-back on the functioning of the entreprise, which is of great value in steering it along the right direction.
Second, it brings to light, and helps remove grievances and bottlenecks, and inculcates a sense of contentment and belonging.
Third, free communication can encourage the personnel to come up with creative and innovative ideas for the betterment of the entreprise.
Lastly, communication is the only means of bridging the yawning gulf that usually separates the lower-rung employees from the middle and the top management.
Be it an interview or a project involving several people, getting across the point effectively is what matters. Effective communication skills are the means to understand the opposite party’s mental map and channel our communication to match other’s mental perceptions.
Anyway, Not a New Concept
Communication ability is not a new concept. One who has an orderly refinement in speech that is remarkable and undelaying and one who speaks propitious words that are always heart-pleasing, is identified as an effective reciter (communicator).
The six qualities of a best reciter are: 1) Sweet voice 2)Enunciated syllables 3)Parting of words properly 4) Quick, and 5)Confident delivery and 6) Rythm.
Timing is important
Timing is equally important as the quality of your speech. When a manager communicates it must convey his emotions combined with the intellect. Because, employees under him need to understand that he not only means what he says, but practises it as well. Managers, should strive for unity of thought, word and deed in business.
An experience that i had gone through, is that one can communicate not only by words but through silence also. I wish to write more about using silence as a means of communication later in a different blog because though silence seems to be a very powerful communication tool, it remains a question whether the end results would be positive or destructive.
Quality control parameters
One should take care that there is no gap in communication. It must be crisp and clear. We agree that commuinication is the hallmark of good management. But what about quality control? If our communication has to be effective, we need to maintain a balance between its quantitative and qualitative aspects.
Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial and not agitating to others. It is gained by regularly trying to maintain :
- Integrity at all times, under every type of stress, since fairness and equitableness are virtues of a good manager.
- Maintain equanimity and do not get flattered by praise.
- Be discreet in the choice of words, eliminating hurtful words.
- Ducking and distorting truth will not give any rewards.
- Listen to those who inform and advise (a good manager must be a good listener) with even unpleasant reality but squarely and truthfully.
Sree's blog on better management 