The art of effectiveness in communication
Zeeshan Wasim
In today’s rapidly evolving world, where every interaction that we have with another person either in the form of a meeting, business pitch, or negotiation, impacts our professional or personal growth, so we have to put a significant focus on effectiveness in communication.
Individuals are more inclined towards achieving their goals in professional terms, if they are able to convey a message in a logical, clear, and concise manner. There is a certain artistic essence in communicating a message with clarity. First of all, people need to become aware about the fact that having a structured approach in their communication is crucial. The various scenarios in which we find ourselves conveying a certain idea to others, the critical business presentations and even the impromptu interactions require us to consider a structured approach with our words.
Basically, structured communication is the exchange of information in an organized, clear and systematic manner, whereas many elements are encapsulated within this structure, which I will define ahead in this article.
Well, consider the structure in a conversation as the roadmap that consists of a logical connection of ideas that will guide both the listener and the speaker. A communicational structure has many elements. The first one being clarity. There should not be a sense of ambiguity in our words to ensure that the purpose of the message is understandable. Ideas that are presented in a structured manner are likely to be remembered. Hence, retention is the second element of a proper structure. Persuasion and efficiency are the remaining components. Structured communication will facilitate the process of persuading a person for any reason, through a reasoned argument. Efficiency is simply using less and easier to digest the words.
Now, let’s get towards an overall sense of effectiveness in communication. There is a framework that can allow any person to be effective in their conveyance of ideas. The “What, So What, Now What” framework is known for its reliability and versatility. It is flexible and it can be applied in endless communicational situations. There are three simple questions in this framework. The “what” defines and describes the situation, a product, position or a fact.
The “so what” part of the framework discusses the implications for the audience and analyzes the relevance of an idea. The “now what” outlines a call-to-action or the next steps that lead towards taking questions or setting up the next meeting, if the context is business-based. This framework serves as a guidepost for the audience and helps in organization thoughts easily.
Putting this framework into action is easy. For the “what”, a person would say that he/she is excited to introduce a new version of his/her software which is enhanced significantly. For the “so what”, he/she will claim that his/her clients can perform their tasks more easily and save the time. For the “now what”, he/she will say that after this conference, please install the latest version of the software. In 3 steps, an entire idea with its purpose and concept is explained.
To conclude, considering structured communication will help individuals craft their messages properly and prioritize the intent of their communication, while allowing the listeners digest the information easily and helping them retain it as well. Various communication situations can be navigated using the “What, So What, Now What” framework, ensuring that an idea or concept is not just heard but is internalized and acted upon as well. This framework allows people to master the art of effectiveness in communication – which can make a big difference when it comes to personal and professional growth in today’s competitive times.
The writer is an entrepreneur, digital marketer, freelance content writer, and a business administration graduate from the Institute of Management Sciences (IMSciences), Peshawar. He can be reached at: srkgothambat@gmail.com. He also shares insights on Twitter @ZeeshanWasim8.
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