Effective interpersonal communication involves more than just sharing information. It seeks to understand or express emotions and intentions behind what is being communicated. Communication seems simple enough, yet there are barriers that can lead to misinterpretation and confusion.
Work on Clarity
An effective leader pays attention to the clarity of their message. Often times the message may not be presented in a format that is easy for the recipient to understand. The information may be in technical terms and the audience may not be in a position to quickly and effectively comprehend what has been presented before them.
Additionally, what may appear clear to the sender may not be as clear to the recipient. Some people like to look at the big picture, others prefer to go deeper and examine the details. If you are communicating an idea for a project to either of them, what may be clear to one may seem unclear to the other. It is therefore important to take time to understand how the recipient of your message thinks before you can begin working on the message.
Compelling Communication
In this day and age, it is not enough to be clear, you also need to be compelling. That means you need to give people a reason to listen to your idea. You need to start by defining your target audience, their demographic and what makes them tick. You should then go ahead and develop you story taking into account the needs and feelings of your target audience. A simple story can make your message much more compelling.
Avoid Distractions
Distractions can affect your ability to communicate effectively. Answering your phone, responding to text messages and social media notifications will make you less attentive. You need to be attentive every time you are communicating in order to ensure you note all the non verbal cues.