Have you attempted having difficult conversations and it just did not go well? Being able to communicate in an effective and clear way takes skill, practice and effort. Communication is a form of art and trying to get through to another person in a way that they will be able to hear, listen and comprehend what you are saying is a skill that needs to be practiced and learned.

Being able to transfer your information or message to the receiver and have the receiver receive and understand it the way you intend for it to be understood is challenge of itself. Being able to be creative with how you communicate and choosing your words carefully as well as the tone is why communication can be perceived as an art.

It does not take much effort for those on the receiving end to change the meaning of your message which can then lead to conflict. This is because then the sender will continue to do their best to describe and explain what they are really trying to say, and the receiver will likely become frustrated because they are hearing something else that the sender really is not trying to say. Therefore, this leads to miscommunication and conflict.

So, delivering your message in a clear and accurate way takes time to learn and practice. Delivering your message can occur verbally or non-verbally. Both are important and can be used in different ways that complement each other.

Non-Verbal Communication

Let’s start with non-verbal. Non-verbal communication can be delivered via body language. With this said, mastering the art of your body language can tell the other person many things. It is important that your body language matches to what you are saying verbally, this can also mean tone.

Verbal Communication

Now with the verbal aspect, this can be most challenging because some can demonstrate impulsive tendencies on saying what is in their head without second thought and this cannot always come across as positive and can-do damage to the relationship you have with the other individual.

Some elements to take into consideration when verbally communicating is that choosing your words carefully is important. This is because words carry meaning and that meaning carry power and how you release that power can damage or improve your relationships.

Vocabulary

Starting with vocabulary, this portion of communication plays an important factor due to the meaning behind the word. This will tell the other person your level of language ability and with each level, this will convey to that particular audience that understand that level of language you are portraying. Therefore, knowing this, it is imperative that you choose your vocabulary based on the audience you are speaking to so they are able to comprehend the message.

Pace

When talking to an individual or even audience, pacing your speech or message can tell others whether you are being thoughtful in your message or excited and impulsive. When you pace your message at a slower speed this can tell others that you are being thoughtful in how you would want the receiving end to understand your message.

When you pace your message at a faster speed then this can tell the receiving end that you are excited, maybe even impulsive in what you are saying, and that you want them to be interested just as much as you are.

Understanding your audience or the person you are speaking with can determine what pace you will need to use to convey your message.

Tone

Becoming conscious of your tone is the most important piece in conveying your message. You can say what you want to say but when you have a tone that does not match what you are trying to say, it will send a completely different message than you attempted to send. Your tone should change based on what message you are trying to convey – the context of the message will determine the tone of your voice.

Emotion

Your tone can give off what emotion you are feeling. However, showing the emotion in your tone can be powerful in conveying your message and the feeling it will induce. Emotions are powerful so controlling your emotions to match what you are saying can be a powerful way of communicating.

Keeping these components of communicating in mind is going to be helpful in being able to get your message across clearly. Practice, practice and practice!