Zornitsa, an exceptionally skilled organizational psychologist, trainer, and professional coach, is a leading expert in empowering individuals to thrive professionally and personally. Her high-impact corporate training sessions and expert consultancy on soft skills enhancement, goal-setting, conflict management, and team cohesion have transformed the lives of her clients, equipping them with the necessary structure, tools, and unwavering support to unlock their full potential.
As a firm believer in every individual’s boundless potential, she has co-created GrowthSpace, a pioneering platform dedicated to fostering transformative growth for companies and individuals. This platform, with its personalized programs, training, and coaching services, is designed to inspire development and create supportive environments.
When interacting with candidates, managers, colleagues, or clients, Zorry consistently emphasizes the importance of establishing principles of quality communication. She views communication as a powerful tool for connection and highlights the significance of delivering and understanding messages effectively. This approach not only helps individuals build stronger relationships and achieve greater success, but also educates and informs them about the power of communication.
In this blog, Zornitsa imparts invaluable insights from her extensive experience, illuminating the most crucial characteristics of communication that can aid us in understanding others and ourselves. Her unique perspective and wealth of knowledge make us feel not just privileged, but also valued and respected for the opportunity to learn from her.
Here are some of the most important characteristics of communication that can help us understand others as well as ourselves:
- Clarity – Our messages should be as brief and clear as possible. We should be able to explain in simple words what we are sharing. Be prepared to answer questions when they arise. It is better not to share too many details – sometimes, in our attempt to express something thoroughly, we actually make it difficult to understand. As important as it is for our message to be conveyed correctly, it is equally important to ensure that it is also understood correctly. Therefore, it’s better to check if we have been understood – we can paraphrase what we have said. Additionally, we should make sure that we understand the person we are talking to. If we are unsure, it is always good to ask additional questions.
- Awareness – It is very important to know exactly what we want to convey as a message and why. If we ourselves are not clear on the reason for sharing something or asking a question, we cannot be sure what message we will deliver. We should also be aware of the timing and form in which we convey the message – for example, it is not appropriate to start a long conversation when the other person obviously has no time or is not in the right mood. It is essential to be aware of how we react to different messages – what makes us angry and why, what provokes a reaction in us, and whether we can control that reaction. For example, when we hear something we don’t like, can we hide our anger, disappointment, and frustration, or do they actually reach the person we speak with? Why is their specific message provoking these emotions within us?
- Non-verbal signals – Everyone knows that when we communicate, we should look the other person in the eyes. However, there are many other non-verbal signals that we often miss – if we communicate in person, we should pay attention to body language – whether our posture is upright, whether we stand in an “open position” or with crossed arms, whether we invade the other person’s personal space or keep enough distance. If the communication is online, it is important to avoid all distractions and to show that we are fully present in the conversation with our facial expressions. When we communicate by phone, as well as in any other form, we must pay attention to the tone of our voice – do we speak low or high, what intonation do we use, do we sound calm and confident, do we make enough pauses between words. It is important to work on each of these components because regardless of our position and how appropriate our messages are, our interlocutor can easily sense if what we say does not match our tone. This automatically creates distrust in the other party. However, in most cases, no matter how much we focus on non-verbal communication, a large part of the signals we send and process are unconscious. For this reason, it is necessary not to allow a negative attitude in communication. What is the key to this?
- Curiosity – Being curious means showing genuine interest in the other party – trying to understand the other perspective, way of thinking, and reasons for particular behaviour. When we are curious in our communication, we find it intriguing to hear what will be said – we ask questions, try to understand deeply, listen carefully, and pay attention to details. If we want our communication to “open doors,” it is essential to let go of the idea that our point of view is the only valid one. Even if we disagree with the other person’s arguments, it is still good to understand how they came to them and what value they hold for them. It is also important not to make hasty conclusions. Even if we think we know or understand something about someone, it can often turn out that we are actually wrong. It is very important to remind ourselves that when we do not understand something, we can always ask additional questions.
- Concern – Here comes the place of empathy. We can experience the point of view or situation of the person we are talking to in different ways – by mentally putting ourselves in their shoes or by feeling their emotions. The point, however, is to truly understand their perspective. It is important to show that we have heard and understood what has been shared with us. Our interlocutor needs to understand that their message is valuable to us, that we are interested in them. If we do not show genuine concern, it will quickly be felt by the other party. We should not forget about active presence in the conversation. To be actively present means to devote all our attention to what is happening at the moment and not be distracted by side factors.
If we are clear about the message we want to convey, understand our emotions, have control over them, and approach others with genuine interest and concern, then we cannot go wrong in our communication. By keeping these characteristics in mind and paying attention to them, we will succeed in building lasting, quality relationships.
Author of the article: Zornitsa Zareva
