Communication, like so many other activities of humanity has a lot of myths surrounding it. Some have basis in the truth, but others are just blind rationalizations of people who are willing to use any excuse to promote their services.
Here are some myths and facts on effective communication skills.
-
Myth 1
Effective communication skills can solve every problem.
Fact…
The true fact about effective communication skills is that there are some problems that can’t be solved despite being understood. Some will say that the only reason people have so many problems in relating to each other is that they can’t truly understand each other. When you think about it, this may seem true at a certain level. Taking a look around, you will see that many of our problems actually do stem from the lack of proper communication and understanding. However, even if all people were able to communicate effectively, we would still have disagreements.
Inherently, we are all different. Even if we all somehow started being able to make ourselves understood clearly, we would still hold our own opinions regarding different things.
Here’s an illustration:
You like apples and you think they are the best fruit in the world. Another person holds the opinion that oranges are the best fruit in the world. Even if you were able to communicate effectively, you still won’t be able to change the other person’s opinion.
-
Myth 2
Verbal communication is more effective than non-verbal.
Fact…
People have a tendency to believe that words are the most effective means of communications. In other words, if they just come up with the proper words in the proper order, they will get across everything they want to say. And so, they tend to work on developing their verbal communication skills exclusively. However, the fact is that effective verbal communication skills can’t possibly do everything you had hoped for with effective non-verbal communication to back it up.
Sure, words can say that a person is sad, but a single teardrop does that as effectively if not more so. In fact, people say that pictures are worth a thousand words. People only think that verbal communication is the most important since this is the type of communication they most commonly and consciously use. However, have you ever realized how much you are able to tell about people just by looking at them?
Of course, this does not mean that non-verbal communication is better than using words. However, we should realize that people use both verbal and non-verbal communication in their everyday lives and to ask which one is better would be like asking a bird which wing is more useful to its flight.
-
Myth 3
The effectiveness of communication is determined by technology.
Fact…
For some, this can be true. Technology today helps to ensure that messages don’t get garbled up when trasmitted. The internet, specifically, was designed to let people deliver their messages with as little interference as possible. However, the true fact on effective communication skills is that people determine their effectiveness. How a person sends a message and how another receives it determines the clarity of the message. The perception of both the receiver and the sender determines just how intact the message is when it reaches its goal.
The fact of effective communication skills is that it lies within a person. No machine can help make your communication skills more effective if you don’t take the necessary steps to improve it yourself. Technology can affect communication, and improve the channels through which the process flows. However, the effectiveness of communication still lies in the ability of people.