There is no greater wisdom than silence. While silence can also be a powerful tool of communication, yet to verbally communicate is a need of all living beings. The lion roars, the birds chirp, the sheep bleat, the dolphins whistle and so do all other animals, in order to communicate. Humans, imperatively, hence communicate with each other through various mediums, from silence to expression. This piece is about communication involving all its facets from speaking to listening, from writing to reading.
There is no greater wisdom than silence. While silence can also be a powerful tool of communication, yet to verbally communicate is a need of all living beings. The lion roars, the birds chirp, the sheep bleat, the dolphins whistle and so do all other animals, in order to communicate. Humans, imperatively, hence communicate with each other through various mediums, from silence to expression. This piece is about communication involving all its facets from speaking to listening, from writing to reading.
It is through the medium of communication that sound and reliable relationships are established. Silence is the sweetest medicine of the heart. Silence can sometimes produce more strong and stable vibes for the initiation of any type of relationship, but the feelings also cannot remain muted forever, if the need for relationship is desired; they have to find expression, failing which the relationship cannot be promoted, for unexpressed sentiments can lead to death and decay of any relationship.
In the political arena, history bears testimony, to the fact, that all populist leaders were great communicators; ranging from the famous and known, like Churchill, Mao, Ronald Reagan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, to the known but infamous, like Hitler, Mussolini, etc, all of them for the right or wrong reason, through speaking skills were capable of drawing the most docile audience into a frenzy of action. Political demagoguery lends success, if it is backed by well intentioned actions. It is not however commonly expected of any politician to stick to his/her own words, consequently, they make fiery speeches (communicate) with the masses; while remaining very low, on delivery of a promise or a commitment.
As part of the socialist fad and its related lingua franca of popular appeal, we have seen how the concept of food, shelter and clothing was unleashed as a promise; the intentions may not be doubted; but the communication of this commitment was made far and wide , for it did reach every nook and corner of the country. It follows that communication must have an inherent appeal of acceptability. That it remains undelivered after 56 years of communication is a matter of politics. This type of communication cannot be replicated in the corporate world. A commitment made has to be fulfilled, in time and without altering the validity of the idea or concept. Communication must meet the test of it being truthful for it to have an impact of lasting.
Communication involves speaking, writing, listening and reading. These are considered as the fundamentals of communication. In our culture, we tend to talk more and do very little listening; which is backed by the painful fact, we read less , also write very little, yet are always willing to speak the most. Leaders/managers are expected to be good at communicating. Since the vision of the organisation has to be distilled across the hierarchy, the leadership along with other members holding responsible positions on the corporate ladder must also possess good communication skills.
It is the responsibility of the supervisors to establish sound lines of communication between the various constituents. In doing so, all parties to the conversation, must be either fully prepared and well versed with the issue at hand or alternatively establish a medium of communication that will usher and ensure such corporate culture. “The precision of communication is important, more than ever, in our era of hair- trigger balances , when a false, or misunderstood word may create as much disaster as a sudden thoughtless act”(James Thurber, Lanterns & Lances).
If the requirements of the job state, “good or excellent skills in communication", then it is imperative for the prospects to judge for ownself, if the criteria can be met. The demand for the would be employee is to possess communication skills which is inclusive of its all dimensions, of which the most critical, in my view, is listening skills. We generally have no patience to “listen” against the immense reservoir of patience we demonstrate when speaking. The communication skill set is four dimensional and any inadequacies in one, will ultimately lead to gaps in others. Those who do not read voraciously must not attempt to speak endlessly!
For communication to be effective, there is a definite need to have good command over the language that is officially used in an entity. The soundness of ability in language can be best gauged when the words chosen convey to the reader, the quality of feelings and sentiments, that is desired. Being respectful in communication requires use of words of import and meaning that convey such a feeling; whether speaking to the boss (I dislike this term) or the janitor, the words, tonality and underlying respect must not change. It must remain the same, and if it doesn’t, it indicates a seriously flawed character. “The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between’s one real and one’s declared aims, one turns, as it were , instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish squirting out with" (George Orwell).
In verbal communications, any misunderstandings can be expunged, mostly then and there; it is the written word that causes most communication breakdowns. If the office memorandum is casted in words of ambiguity, the possibility of it to be misread and misinterpreted is substantial. The clarity of thought must lead to precise expression, regardless of it being, either written or verbal.
The most dangerous consequences of an ill formed communication happens, when the manager/leader thinks in one language, writes it in another and to make a spaghetti of the thought, speaks in a different language. This element of constant and continual translation of thoughts that germinate in one and expressed in a different language forms the basis of misunderstanding and miscommunications. Possibly when said in Bengali, it may have sounded well, but when Mujibur Rehman, the Bangladeshi founder, said the same in English, it sounded comical -- he would in interviews remark, basking in the pride of popularity, “I loves my people, My Peoples love me”. Translation can be a difficult enemy of good communication.
In any organisation, the presence of a communication apparatus that is seamless, secure, sound and stable, helps in not having miscommunications or lack of knowledge of the entity’s vision and mission, or even in understanding the demands of a job description, especially where it is written incongruously and incoherently. And should there be present within the organisation any cobwebs of conflict or lack of mutual understanding, a well defined communication guidelines will help remove such impediments and obstacles.
Regrettably, the English language is singularly recognised as a global/ universal language. If not mastery , at least, at the minimum, a good vocabulary base must be created, to indulge in communicating in English. For anyone to progress in the corporate and the world of national and international bureaucracy, knowledge and command of English is an absolute necessity.
To improve English language skills, readers, particularly the young ones, must make it a point or rather a habit to do the following: Read, articles and editorials of a newspaper of choice; and not just the news; listen at least for half an hour English bulletin on radio or TV, of choice; target to read a minimum of twelve books in a calendar year (I had read recently that Bill Clinton in year 2022 had read 82 books); each day try and find an audience, not necessarily the size of a public meeting, but of say one or two colleagues/friends, and narrate to them, the interesting things you would have read and listened to -- there is no better way of creating a reservoir of words / thoughts than by narration. My personal slogan, since school days, that I adopted from my father, has been, 'retention by narration'. Try it.
We live in a world of mass media; and anything that is done on a mass scale, invariably leads to deterioration in quality. The communication standards also have shifted from good to bad; from decency to indecency and from sublime to ridiculous. Goethe had said: "No one would talk much in society, if he only knew how often he misunderstands others."
Communication must be decent and gracious. Good communication is always thrilling and stimulating; no audience snores, if the speaker is good.
The writer is a senior banker and a freelance columnist
