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