What you are like as a person influences how you communicate and interpret messages?

Your effectiveness as a manager is likely to increase the more you:

• recognize that there are many factors which affect the communication process

• become sensitive to the way it affects how you communicate.

Your state of mind will affect how you communicate. Berne ^[9] identified the following three main states: adult, parent and child. Adult adult transactions are the most productive in the working environment.

Behaviour can be categorized as being assertive, aggressive or passive. Assertive behaviour is about having the confidence to express your needs, feelings and opinions openly, and respect other people when they express theirs.

Attitudes and assumptions make a significant impact on how we communicate. Try to get into the habit of challenging any negative attitudes and assumptions you may have.

The ways in which messages are received are often very dependent on the level of trust between the two parties.

A manager must be trustworthy at all times to gain the confidence of team members. You have to use your judgement to select who you can trust.

To become a more effective communicator:

• think about your audience

• convey conviction

• shut up and listen

• stay conscious

• think and plan

• recognize the importance of story telling

• be yourself.

To improve the quality of conversations:

• create a trusting environment in which people feel confident to question and doubt

• create time and space for conversations

• legitimize people to ask big broad...