Do you know the book “Silent Messages”Do you doubt the power of verbal communication? Are you looking for a way to credibly convey an inspirational message that will bring about change in people? In 1971, Albert Mehrabian published this book, in which he presented his research on verbal and non-verbal communication. In his conclusions, explained that only 7% of credibility was directly related to verbal communication.. To this limited percentage of influence of words on the confidence and motivation conveyed by a speaker, we must add the 55% of influence on the audience, which corresponds to body language and the 38% associated with tone and timbre of voice. But, Does the choice of language and the coherence of the message to be conveyed really matter so little? Is it possible that organisations should consider focusing on non-verbal communication? Each company will have to decide its priority, however, although Mehrabian's study was critically acclaimed, common sense suggests that verbal communication is not a secondary issue. How else is it possible that, more than 150 years after the Abraham Lincoln's speech At Gettysburg his two hundred and seventy-two words continue to inspire without anyone being able to remember his tone of voice or his gestures?
The benefits of good verbal communication in the workplace
As the University of Pennsylvania states in its section on leadership, Every word counts, so executives need to focus on developing their verbal communication skills., since:
- Poor communication contributes directly to exacerbating, even creating, problems of implementation, control and culture.
- In addition to the message that is conveyed orally, ideas, behaviour and attitudes are constantly and often silently being conveyed during communication in the form of silences or gestures.; and clues about product quality or design standards are being provided without the need to utter a word.
- It must be ensured that anyone in a position of responsibility in the organisation with regard to the verbal communication or non-verbal, can do well. To do so, Starting with the CEO, every professional needs to develop a solid understanding of what constitutes good communication practices. and strive to improve their skills in this field.
Verbal communication must be coherent, consistent with the actions to be taken and inspiring. Are you able to generate commitment with your words?
How to improve verbal communication in 3 keys
Improving verbal communication will contribute to better results, greater staff engagement and stronger links with partners and suppliers. The company's image also benefits from a leader with good communication skills, something that can be achieved if the following premises are taken into account:
- InspireBefore persuasion, there is inspiration, and that is the way to ensure that the message you want to convey is deeply felt by the recipients. This can be achieved by using evocative words, by giving examples that provoke emotions, avoid empty words and use facts to support the content of verbal communication., The Commission is also seeking to increase its credibility and, therefore, generate greater confidence in the audience.
- Focusa great communicator knows how to address those in front of him. Every audience is different and, to get your message across effectively, you must show that you are interested in what the other person has to say and respond in a way that strengthens the relationship between the two and moves towards achieving the objective of the message. Do not forget to focus on the problem, rather than the person, and at the same time, try to keep body language in line with words at all times..
- Listening: effective verbal communication is not a one-way street.; To help you achieve your objectives, it needs to go beyond the mere presentation of a message. When communicating with another person, don't forget to listen to what they have to say and pay attention to the non-verbal signals they give off with their gestures and attitude.
How important is verbal communication in your company? Do you have an internal communication plan?
