| Why are certain persons more successful than | | | | customer! It is important to look at the |
| others in their personal lives and in their | | | | needs of others as your customer. This |
| professional environment? Some are perhaps | | | | marketing concept was first used in |
| very successful at their homes, having good | | | | transactional settings, but was introduced in |
| relationships with their spouses and | | | | learning organizations and now has become an |
| children, but having many communication | | | | important concept in all corners of life.The |
| problems in their office: problems with | | | | issue of discovering the interests of others |
| bosses, but good relationships with | | | | has even been infiltrated by non-scientific |
| co-workers or vice versa, good relationship | | | | 'tools' like astrology, numerology and tarot |
| with the bosses, but conflicts with other | | | | cards. Before the discovery of these tools, |
| managers and subordinates. Others again are | | | | one was still utilizing (and still is |
| having good relationships at the office at | | | | utilizing) many scientific tools offered by |
| the expense of their marriages and family | | | | psychologists ranging from psychoanalysis, |
| life: too much time is being spent at the | | | | conversation analysis, transactional analysis |
| office and the family at home is being felt | | | | and the sort resulting in various therapies |
| ignored and left behind.The root cause of the | | | | which might be effective depending on the |
| problem is communication or to be more exact: | | | | willingness of the buyer to take it seriously |
| effective communication. It is actually | | | | or not.How can one discover the interests of |
| surprising that a lot of communication is | | | | others? This requires a proactive approach |
| going well most of the time. However, if a | | | | from both parties. Two strategies might be |
| communication problem happens, the question: | | | | helpful. The first strategy is called the |
| what went wrong? Usually remains an | | | | PAIR approval strategy: Placate (listen, |
| unanswered question. There are plenty of | | | | empathize, respond with concern); Attend (to |
| books, articles and websites dedicated to the | | | | the other); Investigate (circumstances |
| problems of communication. Some give | | | | details of issue); Resolve (decide on action |
| scientific evidence of communication barriers | | | | to take). The second strategy is called the |
| and obstacles, but leave finding practical | | | | five-step method: listen, respond, decide on |
| solutions to the reader. More practically | | | | action, take action and follow up.DISTURBING |
| oriented recipes are difficult to implement | | | | FACTORSThe third element of effective |
| due to lack of time and practice. For example | | | | communication is probably the most difficult |
| the trait assertiveness: it has become common | | | | one: how to eliminate disturbing factors or |
| knowledge that it is important to be | | | | how to overcome communication barriers. There |
| assertive in daily life. But how can one be | | | | are basically six types of barriers between |
| assertive if he or she is introvert by | | | | people communicating with each other: |
| nature? On top of personality (extrovert | | | | differences in perception, incorrect |
| versus introvert), there is the issue of | | | | filtering, language problems, poor listening, |
| culture: people from certain countries are | | | | differing emotional states, and differing |
| simply less extrovert than from other | | | | backgrounds. In order to overcome these |
| countries.Wouldn't is be extremely useful to | | | | barriers, one must be willing to avoid |
| have a simple formula of effective | | | | selective perception, condense messages to |
| communication which can be used in all | | | | the bare essentials, use specific and |
| circumstances? I think the following formula | | | | accurate words possible, always verify your |
| would be helpful:EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION= | | | | interpretation of what's been said, be aware |
| | | | of the feelings that arise in yourself and in |
| SELF-INTEREST + INTEREST OF OTHERS - | | | | others as you communicate, and attempt to |
| DISTUBING FACTORSOREC = SI + IO - DFLet's | | | | control them.Communication barriers also |
| look at the three elements of this | | | | exist within organizations. Although all |
| formula.SELF-INTERESTWhen people communicate, | | | | communication is subject to |
| self interest is probably the main reason for | | | | misunderstandings, business communication is |
| communication. One is far more interested in | | | | particularly difficult. Barriers can be |
| his or her own interest than in the interests | | | | caused by: information overload, message |
| of others. The above formula can actually be | | | | complexity, message competition, differing |
| simplified even further by simply stating | | | | status, lack of trust, inadequate |
| that communication is equal to self-interest. | | | | communication structures, incorrect choice of |
| For this reason, communication is rarely | | | | medium, closed communication climate, |
| effective because one is not trying to find a | | | | unethical communication, inefficient |
| common ground in interaction processes but | | | | communication, and physical |
| merely seeking a way to fulfill certain | | | | distractions.There are three distinct moments |
| short-term interests. The most important | | | | which can cause many communication barriers |
| problem in communication is probably | | | | in organizations; during negotiations, when |
| asymmetry. The two parties in question are | | | | dealing with customers, and holding meetings. |
| having different agendas and different | | | | When you are negotiating, psychological |
| interests which is further complicated by | | | | barriers may arise. These psychological |
| asymmetries of, knowledge, power and | | | | barriers may be yours or may belong to the |
| authority. For this reason, negotiation | | | | other party. Be aware that people carry some |
| skills and tactics have become a very | | | | of these barriers and 'listen' for their |
| important trait of modern civilization. In | | | | effects. Look for signs of them in the other |
| the old days, physical strength was the | | | | party (and in yourself) and use your |
| determining factor to force the other party | | | | communication skills to ease or lower these |
| to compromise. Thanks to civilization, | | | | barriers. Dealing with customers, in turn, |
| consensus can now be reached by | | | | can be very hard because some customers are |
| communication. This civilizing process is | | | | hard to please and difficult situations can |
| basically a shift from a "command and | | | | arise. If a high level of service is not |
| control" communication culture to a | | | | provided, the result will not only be loss of |
| "negotiating and persuasion" culture.This | | | | business, but often an increase in the number |
| shift has resulted in a greater emphasis on | | | | of difficult and even abusive customers. They |
| the ability to effectively communicate | | | | have not yet been lost. Deal with them |
| verbally and non-verbally with each other. | | | | professionally. The negotiating process, |
| This also implies better education in which | | | | finally, demonstrates a fundamental tension |
| development of dialogue skills has become the | | | | between the claiming and creating of value. |
| backbone of modern education. One is at a | | | | Value claimers view negotiations purely as an |
| young age already required to be able to | | | | adversarial process. Each side stride tries |
| express their thoughts clearly in class | | | | to claim as much of a limited pie as possible |
| presentations, essays, reports and not to | | | | by giving the other side as little as |
| mention in theses of various sorts in | | | | possible. Each party claims value through the |
| tertiary educational settings.INTEREST OF | | | | use of manipulative tactics, forcible |
| OTHERSThe interest of others has probably | | | | arguments, limited concessions, and hard |
| been the most important issue in many | | | | bargaining. Value creators, in contrast, call |
| textbooks about effective communication. The | | | | for a process which results in joint gains to |
| ability to listen, to get and give feedback, | | | | each party. They try to create additional |
| to control anger ("anger management"), | | | | benefits for each side in the negotiations. |
| conflict resolution, stress management, etc., | | | | They emphasize shared interests, developing a |
| have been discussed in great lengths by many | | | | collaborative relationship, and negotiating |
| authors, scholars, management trainers, | | | | in a pleasant and cooperative manner.My name |
| etc.The problem is accommodating the | | | | is Martin Hahn Ph.D. and I am an industrial |
| interests of others have become more | | | | sociologist with more than 20 years |
| important with the introduction of | | | | experience in teaching, management |
| information technology and the ability to | | | | consulting, and corporate training. If you |
| trade goods and services in cyberspace. True | | | | want custom-made advice about communication |
| globalization has probably already occurred | | | | in your workplace or with non-job related |
| in cyberspace where a global 24 hour economy | | | | people, please feel free to contact me at |
| has been created where everybody is | | | | All requests will be handled professionally |
| exchanging goods, services and information | | | | and your communication problem will be |
| all over the world.Everybody has become a | | | | handled in strict confidence. |