Make sure you LISTEN, as much as you Talk

"Dipinty, you spoke quite well. But we are sorry to disclose that you are not an effective communicator". Never before, had I heard a statement so blunt, yet so veracious that it took me by surprise. I had always been a good speaker, having won so many accolades and awards. Then why was this remark shot at me? I left the podium in which the group discussion was held, lost in deep reverie. What did the moderator mean?

A few months later, as I stepped into the corporate world and life took an interesting turn, I realized how accurate he had been. "Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to just apply" - Stephen R. Covey. It made perfect sense. In a professional environment, we are often invited to meetings and presentations, in which there is a complete "Information Gap" between the speaker and his/her audience. Often, we take notes, with a hope that we will make use of them later because we are programmed in this manner. And then, as chance may have it, this causes people to doze off and allow their minds to wander elsewhere. An effective presentation is always a two-way street, wherein the speaker engages in constant interactions with the listeners. He/she listens to questions, opinions, speculations and tries to improvise the next session accordingly. "Constant Communication" - is the key. The best speakers in the world are adept at creating dialogues (and not monologues), which enables them to deliver an idea by asking "Questions" - a masterstroke to make every session more illuminating.

And this is applicable not only in presentations or seminars but also in emails, verbal communications, video conferences, etc. Make it a habit to respond to emails within a stipulated time, answer your mails, and when you converse with a person or a group, invite them to opinionate, ask appropriate questions and don't just hear- LISTEN.