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4 • SHARPEN Advanced COMMUNICATION SKILLS for Beginners Advanced communication skills are an acquired competency. In order to master this know-how, incessant practise and reliable coaching is required. Genuine communication is comprised of many delicate components, including honesty, receptiveness, sensitivity, and active listening, and these components should be employed and manifested in a seamless and non-contrived manner.
SHARPEN • 5 1Direct expression of personal thoughts, ideas, and even feelings is a touchstone of advanced communication skills. Leaders who prove effective in their dealings with customers—both internal and external, are those who state their concerns in a straightforward manner. These leaders know how to tailor-fit their comments and take accountability of their personal motivations and belief systems. Through this, they are able to avoid vague or generalised statements. Instead of passing blame, or pinpointing an apparent mistake, these communicators phrase their corrective feedback in such a way that it sounds like a personal pronouncement, as opposed to a blunt admonition which oftentimes elicits a defensive response. 2Communication comes in many different forms or styles and they can be summed up in four types: directors ask for quick and reliable information; thinkers have a predilection for the why’s and how’s; expressers always present or solicit an insight from the other side of the argument; and, harmonisers are concerned on the human impact of any given choice or decision. At some point, a leader or manager has to decide which style best suits him or her. By properly understanding one’s most suitable communication style—through careful study of personal communication inclinations as well as other’s predilections—an efficient and balanced manner of communication can be derived. It is important to note that the most effective of communicators have realised the essence and importance of tailoring a communication style to the requirement of a specific audience. Such flexibility is only a testament of advanced communication skills. 3Active listening means genuine listening and this is a manifestation of advanced communication skills. An active listener does not only hear the words being uttered by the other person, he or she also knows how to pinpoint underlying messages sent through the course of the communication process. These messages are normally betrayed by subtle cues such as facial expressions, gestures and mannerisms, and vocal tone, to name a few. Another crucial difference between an active listener from its opposite, is that while the latter simply listens to gain further support to an already existent argument, the former listens primarily to understand the other person’s position or motivation in a given concern or situation. 4A data driven communicator ensures that all requisite information in relation to ongoing projects, systems, or operations, are adequately collected and studied. Advanced communication skills are never complete without sufficient regard for the relevance of data and information. Leaders and managers who are data driven lay down their assumptions and solicit their team’s assumptions as well. Furthermore, they know how to lead an efficient probe on these sets of information, thus facilitating team understanding and cohesion. Develop your advanced communication skills today. To learn more, CLICK HERE. “Strengthen your relationships by inviting feedback and correcting your behaviour accordingly” Nicholas C. Hill
Page 1 and 2: nicholashill.com | sharpenmagazine.
Page 3: Letter From the Author & Editor Nic
Page 7 and 8: SHARPEN • 7 Only about 10% of the
Page 9 and 10: SHARPEN • 9 In the famous comic b
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Page 13 and 14: SHARPEN • 13 Do Managers Really N
Page 15 and 16: Performance management is the proce
Page 17 and 18: Certificate in Self Management THE
Page 19 and 20: SHARPEN • 19 Management M O D E L
Page 21 and 22: SHARPEN • 21 The Good, The Bad an
Page 23 and 24: SHARPEN • 23 The SNOOP DOGG Issue

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