HOW TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND LISTENING SKILLS

News Straits Times 1996.

The problem of how to put over a message so that it sinks home is an important one faced by every manager. During world War II the well-known British researcher and food expert Kurt Lewin conducted experiments on changing people's food habits. He used both lectures and discussions. Only three per cent of the people who listened to his lectures changed to the foods recommended, while 32 per cent of those who discussed the problem with him did the same. This clearly indicates that a discussion is a far more effective way of making points sink home than a straight lecture.

How far will people act on a communication which they receive? How far will people act on an individual's decision? A manager who has never thought about whether his orders will be followed nor considered ways of increasing understanding and acceptance of his orders is not likely to be very effective.

The acceptance of orders is a subject worthy of consideration and study. When a decision has to be made, people often say: "Get all the facts", but excessive communication is not only frustrating but also most confusing. There must be ways of separating relevant facts from those that do not matter. What is a fact? Drucker suggests that since facts are difficult to come by, it might be better to get as many opinions as possible on the problem and then arrive at a decision.
Perhaps the greatest barrier to effective communication is that many organizations do not really accept and believe in two-way communication. Their idea of communication usually consists of sending orders and questions down from the top and receiving reports and explanations from bottom. Another obstacle to effective communication is that most bosses like hearing only things which enhance their position or indicate their success. They do not like receiving unpleasant news and consequently the people around them act accordingly.

The result is that there is a big blockage to real communication. For communication to flow properly, status must be deemphasized. There must be an atmosphere is which all the parties concerned are willing to accept criticism and objections.

An important facet of communication is the emotional content of what a subordinate has to say. In many cases the emotional content - the way in which something is said - might even more important that the actual word themselves. This is a factor in communication that is often forgotten.

Undue reliance should never be put on the written word in the form of magazines, newspapers, bulletins, booklets and so on. The written word can never be substituted for sound face-to-face relationships. There cannot be any real communication through this medium unless there is mutual trust and confidence.