In the New Year, it is important to have a solid start with specific objectives in mind. Just as we make major plans at the beginning of every year, we should also have plans for our communication with people. We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result. If indeed we want this year to be far better than the last, we have to deliberately aim at effective communication. Here are a few areas we can work on:
- Personal Life: This area represents our comfort zone, our life when you think no one is watching or our life when you let down your guard. In 2019, we should be ourselves inside and out. We should not only be original but also be authentic. The only way to bring out the best in ourselves is to embrace our uniqueness.
- Business: in our businesses, we should be ready to provide value beyond what our customers or clients pay for. This will help retain their loyalty. Businesses should be solution oriented. If we are not solving people’s problems, we are not likely to be in business for too long.
- Academics: For students, it is extremely important to develop an effective communication system this year. If you have worked really hard in the past and your results did not justify your efforts, then you need to change your strategy. A major goal should be to improve your comprehension and self-expression skills. Understanding a subject is useless without effective presentation during assessment.
- Career: the workplace is a very dynamic place. You should learn to communicate with three valuable categories of people: your superiors, your colleagues and your subordinates. Mutual respect is one of the best ways to communicate friendship. Your superiors read both your verbal and nonverbal cues. They can tell when you don’t like the job, when you don’t like them, when you are lazy, etc. The best way to impress your superiors this year is to change your attitude to your work and value what you do. Your colleagues are also very important because you are teammates. As for your subordinates, if you underestimate them, it is at your own expense. However, if you care for and respect them, they will go out of their way to help you succeed.