TOP ME AND YOU

Stuart Hall MA PGMdip MCIPPdip, non-executive director at the CIPP provides some top tips on perfecting the invaluable art of communication

How often have you come across the quote,’communication is key?’ It’s something we do every day of our lives, whether it be the spoken word, written correspondence or through body language. But why is it so important? Well first, let’s understand what communication is. In simple terms, it’s the act of transferring information from one person to another.

However, it’s important to understand that communication is only effective if the receiver understands the message, and recently I’ve seen first-hand how my two-year-old grandson can get frustrated if what he’s trying to communicate is not understood. Maybe we should add to that quote that communication is only effective if the receiver understands the message as it is intended.

Communication is all around us, from the moment we wake and switch on the radio, read the newspaper, pass the advertising boards on the way to work and listen to the train announcements. During our working day, communication enables tasks to be completed diligently and ultimately makes us, and the company, more professional. In business, communication skills are highly valued. Leaders with ineffective communication skills can often be the root cause of productivity-related issues.

In our daily life, communication helps us build relationships by allowing us to share our experiences, and needs, and helps us connect to others. It’s the essence of life, allowing us to express feelings, pass on information and share thoughts. We all need to communicate.

Non-verbal communication

The words we use to communicate are important, but so is non-verbal communication. Non-verbal cues, such as signals, movements and expressions in our social and business life all help to deliver a specific message. Handshakes, eye contact and touching all help to show how we feel. I would even suggest that non-verbal communication is even more effective than verbal communication in

some situations.

The continued popularity of sign language took a recent surge last year, when millions watched Rose Ayling-Ellis become the first deaf winner of Strictly Come Dancing. We could spend hours discussing her performances, especially her couple’s choice with dance partner Giovanni Pernice, which saw her dance for 20 seconds as a tribute to the deaf community. For me, what she communicated in that 20 seconds was bigger, bolder and brighter than anything I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime. And before I make any suggestions that we should learn to dance to effectively communicate to our senior executives – let’s move on.

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