Before I move on and blog about the topic on conflicts I can't help but wonder whether effective communication is just about making sure that the other party understands what you are saying. I had this encounter the other day over dinner which led me to this question. The conversation between my mum and the waitress goes like that:
Mum: Hi, is it possible if you do this dish without adding spring onion and garlic
Waitress: No (Curtly)
Mum: But I've ate this elsewhere and it can be done
Waitress: Oh. Too bad. We're not that place.
Apparently, the waitress did get her point across and we totally understand what she said but is this really effective communication?
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Hey Shihhan good point you made there. I agree that it is sometimes very confusing whether getting the message across constitutes to effective communication. As we progress on this course I believe effective communication is not just about getting the message across. I believe effective communication is about getting the message across clearly and the result of the communication should be positive. If any party cannot come to terms with the result, then effective communication have not taken place.
ReplyDeleteHad the waitress have been polite and have at least checked with the chef I'm sure your mum would have been more willing to accept the end result of that conversation.
Hmm, maybe we can expand the definition further. Perhaps effective communication is making sure the other party understands you to good effect. In this case, the waitress might want to have been understood yet make sure the customers are happy. Effective communication would not be effective if there is no "result".
ReplyDeleteOh my god. I am so sorry your dinner was ruined by such an encounter.
ReplyDeleteLooking at this situation, I guess the definition of effective communication cannot be as simple as getting one's point across. When I did a google search, they seem to give the same definition too: "Effective communication is a two-way process - sending the right message, that is also being correctly received and understood by the other person/s." Maybe they should include an EQ element to the definition.