ENHANCING YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Effective communication is not a one-way street. It involves an interaction between the sender and the receiver. The responsibility for this interaction is assumed by both parties. The speaker can solicit feedback and adjust the message accordingly. The listener can summarize what was said for the speaker and continually practice the empathetic process.

ENHANCING YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS CONTINUED: Communication is a complex and often difficult process for both the receiver and sender. Barriers on both sides of the process often deflect the real meaning of the message and inhibit clear, open, and rewarding communication. Research shows that a major portion of an organization’s problems are caused by poor communication, while an even greater part of an organization’s progress stems from good communication.

QUALITIES OF A "GOOD" COMMUNICATOR: It has been said that communication is sincerity plus affability. Sincerity is the primary basis upon which the audience judges the integrity of the trainer. To quote Mr. Webster, sincerity means "without deceit, pretense, or hypocracy; truthful and straight-forward." However, your sincerity as a trainer and someone else’s belief in that sincerity may be two different things. You may believe in your subject, and be genuinely interested in the communication of that subject to your audience. But if they do not perceive you to be sincere, YOU ARE NOT SINCERE! Regardless of your own convictions, you may be projecting quite a different image to your group. Most people feel they can accurately judge sincerity, although research indicates that people’s perceptions are often incorrect. Thus, as a trainer, you must PROJECT sincerity.

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