Ethical & Effective Communication: Then there is the written word – knowing what to write, and how to tweak your written communication to meet your audience’s expectations should be straightforward. After all, Ernest Hemingway once quipped that writing was easy: all you had to do was to sit down at a typewriter and bleed.

Knowing how to say what you mean, and mean what you say, should be as effortless as breathing.

In reality however, the process is as tiresome as watching paint dry.

To complicate matters, researches have revealed that since 2009, the human attention span, when viewing web content has dropped from 12 seconds to eight seconds, and it’s dropping continuously. Whatever opinion you have about the study, know that the stakes are higher in this digital age. You would need to simultaneously hold the attention of your audiences, and communicate with clarity if you want results.

We should also not forget that the main goal of communication is to bring us closer to completing a goal and also that the art of communication is the art of leadership.

This means, that the objective of the communication should be the foremost. With a defined objective, it is easier to connect with the audience and communicate with clarity.

All in all, you should never forget the four beacons of effective communication: simplicity, brevity, clarity and humanity because anyone can make things complicated, it takes a genius to make something easy, effective and inspiring.

Effective communication is one of the cornerstones of a lasting relationship. Without it, you will inevitably find your relationship in troubled waters. In order to improve the communication that takes place in any relationship, following is indispensible:

• Talk Face to Face

Take time to talk in-person and avoid becoming too reliant on technology as a means of communication.

• Say “We”

Saying “we” instead of “you” or “I” makes everyone feel as one and results in better results of communication.

• Be Honest

When the goal is to communicate as clearly as possible, you need to be as upfront and honest as possible at all times – even when it is difficult.

• Read over Your Messages Before You Send Them

Before you send out any email or memo, take the time to analyze it and make sure it is clearly communicating your intended message.

• Follow Up

If possible, follow up communications should always take place in-person.

• Be a Good Listener

One common problem with the communication is that everyone present wants to be the speaker and no one really wants to be the listener. By carefully listening to what others are saying, though, you can ensure that your input is more relevant to the conversation at hand and thus more likely to be well-received.

• Practice Body Language

Body language is important in all communication scenarios. Keep your eyes on the person who is speaking, nod and smile appropriately, and show them that you are engaged lest they get the impression that you aren’t interested in what they have to say.

When it is your turn to speak, don’t be afraid to use body language such as eye contact and gestures to command the attention of your audience. The closer they pay attention to what you say the more likely they are to understand what it is you are trying to get across.

In almost every aspect of life, communicating effectively and clearly is vitally important. Some people are natural communicators, while others struggle to translate their thoughts in a way that those listening will understand.

Most all of us, though, have room for improvement. By putting a little effort into your communication skills, you can improve the quality of your personal, your social, and your business interactions.

Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.

But a lot happens when we communicate…. questions of right and wrong arise whenever people communicate. Moreover,Ethical Communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity, and respect for self and others. Ethical communication is fundamental to responsible thinking, decision making, and the development of relationships and communities within and across contexts, cultures, channels, and media. Unethical communication threatens the quality of all communication and consequently the well-being of individuals and the society in which one lives.

One should endorse and be committed to practice the following principles of ethical communication:

• Advocatetruthfulness, accuracy, honesty and reason as essential to the integrity of communication.
• Endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and tolerance of dissent to achieve the informed and responsible decision making fundamental to a civil society.
• Strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages.
• Promote access to communication resources and opportunities as necessary to fulfill human potential and contribute to the well-being of families, communities, and society.
• Promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators.
• Condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion, intimidation, coercion and violence and through the expression of intolerance and hatred.
• Courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice.
• Advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings when facing significant choices while also respecting privacy and confidentiality.
• Accept responsibility for the short- and long-term consequences for our own communication and expect the same of others.

Developing communication skills at SOMC is a regular practice followed by all faculties. Business and Management are two areas which are about connecting strongly with people. This involves interacting with new people with ease, creating comfort for them, and nurturing successful relationships. Interpersonal skills are a must-have. These skills help you break the ice, take people along with you, earn the respect of your team, and ensure that you are able to deliver your results as per the commitments made. Therefore, all the students in School of Management and Commerce are trained to effectively deal with people and their behavior. This strength of nurturing interpersonal relations makes them a great team player.

Mentoring is a natural role taken on by teachers. This has positive effects on students. Mentoring is a way through which we encourage students to strive to be the best they can. This also includes encouraging students to enjoy learning. Part of mentoring consists of listening to students. By taking time to listen to what students say, teachers impart to students a sense of ownership in the classroom. This helps build their confidence and helps them want to be successful.

Emphasis is given to make students capable to meet the emotional, physical, intellectual and social needs for their overall personality development.

Students are also motivated to develop critical thinking and scientific attitude to life problem solving, learn patterns of relationships and inter-relationship that will help them to function effectively as members of the society.

In the classroom, where teaching and learning take place, effective communication is the veritable tool and bedrock upon which the indispensable and significant roles of the teachers are built. It enhances complete and meaningful interaction between the teachers and the learners. At SOMC we believe that “Successful teaching and learning can only take place when there is effective communicationin the classroom”.