Communication isn’t just something – it’s everything. I can’t think of a more valuable skill than communicating effectively. However, communication is a two-way street. It’s an exchange of thoughts and ideas amongst one or more persons. Me thinketh a monologue doth not a dialogue maketh.

I know you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. – Alan Greenspan.

It takes a great deal of effort on both the sender’s and receiver’s part to ensure the message has been sent, received, and, most importantly, understood. I haven’t even mentioned yet how each generation and gender communicate differently. Sometimes, they are not on the same wavelength. When you add that to the mix, it’s no wonder communication can break down.

A study on gender differences by Professor Deborah Frances Tannen of Georgetown University and Professor Julia Wood of the University of North Carolina noted that;

• Women are more inclined to face each other and make eye contact when talking, while men are more likely to look away.
• Men tend to jump from topic to topic, but women talk at length about one topic at a time.
• Women are inclined to express agreement and support, while men are inclined to debate.
• Women see communication as a way to connect and build relationships, while men see it as a way to accomplish an objective.
• Women seek out and welcome relationships, while men think relationships will jeopardize their independence.

Avoid fight or flight; always talk through your differences. – Stephen Covey.

We aren’t born great communicators. It is a learned behaviour. Here are some tips to help you communicate more effectively.

• Ask open-ended questions for clarity to promote dialogue to ensure they have received the message.
• Listen twice as much as you talk. You won’t learn anything if you keep talking.
• Be more intuitive to non-verbal cues to check for points of disagreement or misunderstanding. Based on the work of Dr. Ralph Nichols, we communicate 55 percent of the time using body language alone.
• When giving instructions, be direct and to the point. Too much information tends to overwhelm the receiver.

If the essence of communication is sending and receiving the message as intended, you must remember that you are not the most important person in the conversation. Me thinketh a monologue doth not a dialogue maketh.

Copyright 2025. Brian Smith – Power Link Dynamics. Not to be reproduced without permission. Are you searching for a keynote speaker for your next event or planning an in-house training session. Contact Brian to learn what he can do for you, your team and your organization. Brian’s training programs include individual coaching at no extra cost.