You are born into this world crying and everyone around is smiling in joy. That is the first set of communication exchange you experience. It is fluid and effortless ‘casue it conforms with the rules of human existence. The art of communication is preconfigured in our DNA and it is the greatest instrument one has and must develop to survive and thrive within the civilized and non-civilized world.
The longest study on human happiness shows that the most successful people are not the ones with the most amount of money or possessions, it is the set of people who have been able to build quality relationships over the cycle of their lives, and ladies and gents, the basis of any relationship starts with effective communication.
So, the point I am trying to establish is, you could build the most impressive product, you could have a life changing idea, you could fall in love with the most beautiful woman or the most handsome man in the world, however, if you are not able to translate your creation or feelings into verbal and non-verbal exchange, the former will diminish and decease with time.
I am not a coach or a communication expert, but I am expressive and active in communication by nature. This was realized when I started writing and churning out videos a few years ago and have been able to develop an image which precedes my reputation…. so I have been told 😉
Today, I want to give you tools I practice building my verbal and written communication. These have been very effective for me and have helped me evolve as an individual both professionally and personally.
- Consume content(quality) in every form- According to the NOP World Culture Score Index, India is the country that reads the most, with over 10 hours per week. Yet there is no co-relation between literacy and reading. You want to build a solid habit of consuming informative and educational content by way of reading, listening & watching. It does not have to be any and everything. You can narrow this down and be selective. My strategy includes a general, personal, and educational content consumption approach.
- General- I read and watch on current affairs. Over the course I have learnt to filter out the negative content and I try and feed myself with positive and informative news.
- Personal- I have areas of interest like health & fitness, sports, and food. I keep myself updated on these topics.
- Educational-I did not quite fancy reading when I started. I remember reading conventional fiction & short stories etc which helped me transition into a make-belief world created by the author, however, it never lasted beyond a certain point.Only when I started picking up biographies and motivational stories of greats (freedom fighters, world leaders, artists) it started to have a lasting impact on me. I read and watch a lot of motivational content on life, management, and general behavior. This helps me at my craft and pushes me to become a better version of myself.
- Document and record new words/expressions- As ludicrous as this may sound, every time I come across a new word or expression, I record that in a journal. I revisit that journal every now and then which helps me to build a recall in my head. Moving on, I use these in my day to day communication (spoken and written) as actively as I can.
- Environmental influence-The Indian army, the US Marines, the seals etc are considered to be the toughest and most selfless people in the civilized world. Their life revolves around trust, sacrifice and morality and these attributes are often referred to as inborn. Grossly incorrect!!! These people have the same flesh and blood, eat the same food we do. So, what makes them different? It is the environment and the people they live with. You want to surround yourself with people who will take you to the next level. My rule of thumb, your active circle should consist of a majority of folks smarter than you. They push your game onwards and upwards. Followed by folks who are at par. This gives you a level playing field to practice what you learn. And then, the folks who look up to you and want to learn from you. This feeds as constant motivation which is required to stay put in the game and keep the spirits up. All this contributes in making you more vocal and forthcoming.
- Practice your craft religiously– you must actively practice and nurture your talents. This approach helps to build a sense of self belief ‘cause what you’re doing is you are fueling your fire and when done correctly, you enhance your over all quality as a human being. This leads to you becoming actively expressive and active expression, ladies and gents, precedes effective and impactful communication. Do what you love and have talent in over and over again.This will bring out your best version and communicate to the world what you truly are capable of.
You see, we usually end up depressed and dejected when left in isolation more than we can handle. The ones who turn out to be happy and successful are the ones who make an effort to build relationships and a network with whom they can express seamlessly. Also, learn a new skillset every time there is an opportunity. A good example is a diversified workplace where there are plenty of opportunities to pick up and learn new things. Do not be a Generalist or a Specialist, blend in to become a General Specialist. A generous understanding of diverse things leads to better control and usually results in effective decision making turning you into a Rockstar of sorts
God has been kind and blessed me with opportunities in all avenues of my life. I am heading to my natives in the next 72 hours and life at the moment is a beautiful song!
Let me leave you with this clip of Michael Jordan beating the buzzer (winning shot at the whistle).Whether or not you’re a basketball fan, this will leave you in awe of this superb god like athlete of all time.
Successful leaders are always effective in communicating both verbally and non verbally. I love basketball as a sport and went on to play professionally (just a little bit, still play whenever there is an opportunity) I grew up watching the game in the 80’s and 90’s. He went on to beat the buzzer 9 times over in his career as a professional basketball player and was one of the most effective athletes and leaders in the history of Basketball. And yes, if you haven’t watched the last dance on Netflix, you’re missing something.(This one is a 3.44 mins clip. skip to 2 mins to see the drama unfold)
Whatever you do, keep slaying my friends and stay safe.
We lift, therefore we are!
