outside the words themselves which indicate anything ?
• Check your understanding of what is being said ; reflect in your own words what the speaker seems to be saying – perhaps you have misunderstood them .
• Try to convey ‘ I respect you as a person and feel you are worth listening to ’ through all your words and actions .
• Encourage the person to try to articulate possible solutions to the problem .
Finally communication ! We can categorize the ways in which we communicate into the spoken word and the written word , although this neglects communicating pictorially or graphically . We can also take into account the non-verbal aspects of communicating .
Communicating through the spoken word includes face-to-face communication between individuals and groups , presentations and speeches , telephone conversations and video-conferencing .
Written communication can be on paper in the form of letters , memos , reports , newsletters , articles , books and so on and via electronic means such as electronic mail , computermediated conferencing and the Internet . Non-verbal communication can include the tone of voice , accent , facial expression , gestures , body language and personal choice of clothes , decoration , lifestyle etc .
But communication is not a simple process and too often people can misunderstand what others have said or written . It is not just what you
communicate but how you do it . The use of complex , longwinded language can create problems in understanding as can using an inappropriate method of communicating .
For example , complicated directions are usually communicated more effectively through a map than by word of mouth – providing the map is accurate ! Jargon can cause difficulties for people who are not familiar with .
Dr . Kellen Kiambati holds an MBA in Strategic Management from the Kenya Methodist University and a PhD in Business Administration with a focus in Strategic Management from JKUAT . She is a member of the Institute of Human Resource Management of Kenya . She can be reached via : Kellenkiambati @ gmail . com