How to Communicate Effectively General information on communication —It’s a skill you can learn. —Communications is on

How to Communicate Effectively
   Good morning, everybody. Today, I’d like to talk about how to communicate effectively.
   No matter your age, background, or experience, effective communication is a skill you can learn. The greatest leaders of all time are also fantastic communicators and orators. In fact, communications is one of the most popular college degrees today: people recognize the value of a truly efficient communicator. [1] With a little self-confidence and knowledge of the basics, you’ll be able to get your point across in no time.
   To be an effective communicator, the first stage is the preparatory period. [2] For this period the first step is to create the right environment. To achieve this, first of all, you need to choose the right time. As the saying states, there is a time and a place for everything and communicating is no different. [3] Avoid starting discussions about heavy topics in the late evening. Few people will be thrilled to be faced with sorting major issues like finance or long range scheduling when they are the most tired. Instead, deliver messages and conduct discussions about heavy topics in the mornings or afternoons when people are alert, available, and more likely to be able to respond with clarity.
   [4] Secondly, facilitate an open, intimate conversation. [5] Choose the right place, one that provides freedom for the communication to open, flower, and come to maturity. If you need to tell someone something that isn’t going to sit well (such as news of a death or a breakup) , don’t do it in public, around colleagues, or near other people. Be respectful and mindful of the person by communicating to him in a private place. This will also provide space to open the dialog into a wider and a more involved mutual understanding and ensure that the two-way process is functioning properly. If you are presenting to a group of people, be sure to check the acoustics beforehand and practice projecting your voice clearly. Use a microphone if needed to ensure that your audience can hear you.
   Thirdly, remove distractions. [6] Turn off all electronics that could interrupt the conversation. If the phone rings, laugh it off the first time, then turn it off immediately and continue talking. [7] Do not allow external distractions to act as crutches that sidetrack your concentration. They will distract both you and your listener, and will effectively kill the communication.
   Once you have achieved all the above steps, you are half-successful in preparing for communication. But the next step is also very important because this is the phase you enter the real process of communication. The first key point is to organize your communication effectively.
   [8] To have an effective organization of communication, first of all, organize and clarify ideas in your mind. This should be done before you attempt to communicate any ideas. If you are feeling passionate about a topic, your ideas may become garbled if you haven’t already targeted some key points to stick to when communicating. [9] Key points will act as anchors, bringing focus and clarity to your communication. A good rule of thumb is to choose three main points and keep your communication focused on those. That way, if the topic wanders off course, you will be able to return to one or more of these three key points without feeling flustered. Writing the points down, if appropriate, can also help.
   [10] Secondly, be crystal clear. Make it clear what you’re hoping to convey from the outset. For example, your purpose could be to inform others, obtain information, or initiate action. If people know in advance what you expect from the communication, things will go more smoothly.
   [11] Thirdly, stay on topic. Once you start to convey your three main points, make sure everything you’re saying adds to the message you intend to communicate and strengthen it. If you have already thought through the issues and distilled them to the essentials, it is likely that helpful pertinent phrases will stick in your mind. Do not be afraid to use these to underline your points. [12] Even confident, well-known speakers reuse their key lines again and again for emphasis and reinforcement. Remember to keep the overall message clear and direct.
   Fourthly, thank your listener(s). Thank the person or group for the time taken to listen and respond. No matter what the outcome of your communication, even if the response to your talk or discussion has been other than what you had hoped, end it politely by properly respecting everyone’s input and time.
   In the last part of my lecture, I’d like to give you one more tip about how to be a charmer in communication.
   Firstly of all, be careful with humor. [13] While a little humor injected into what you are discussing can be very effective, do not take it too far, and do not rely on it as a crutch to cover up the hard-to-say things. If you keep giggling and joking, your communication will not be taken seriously.
   Secondly, make sure you do not have negative or apathetic body language. Don’t ramble. This will lead to your message not being understood or taken seriously. Do not whine or plead. Neither is likely to instill respect or interest. If you are very upset, excuse yourself and come back to the discussion later when you have had a chance to think it through.
   [14] If you are giving a presentation to a group or audience, be prepared for difficult questions so that you’re not thrown off course and left feeling flustered. To remain in a position of communicating effectively, Michael Brown recommends a golden rule for handling difficult questions in the context of a group of audience. He suggests that you listen on behalf of everyone present, including asking questions and repeating the issue. [15] Share the reply with everyone, which means moving your eyes off the questioner and onto all present in order to have the whole group " wear the answer. " Capitalize on this shared answer to move on and change direction.
   So to sum up, we have been talking about the way to be an effective communicator in today’s lecture. For the preparatory stage, you’ve got three important rules to follow, while when you enter the real communicative period, please remember my four suggestions. But never forget the three tips I have offered you in my final part. I hope that all of you can be a successful speaker in future.