Effective Communicator

Our blog assignment for this week is to identify someone who is a competent communicator. The person that I have chosen is my supervisor Kristin. There are several things about her communication style that I admire and would like to emulate. 

1. She is a great listener. It is very clear that when you are telling her something she is giving it her full attention and not trying to think ahead or twist the conversation around to make it about her-two communication techniques that I do not admire. She asks clarifying questions and makes sure that she has a clear understanding of what you are saying before she responds. These listening skills are effective because it shows genuine interest in what the person talking has to say. I want to model this skill because I believe any communication where the parties feel as if they are really being heard is more productive.
2. She is brief, to the point, and straightforward. She has the ability to gather her thoughts and articulate what she wants to say very succinctly. She is not afraid to speak her mind and make decisions. This makes it very easy to understand what it is she is saying and what it is that she needs or expects from me. This skill is effective because it makes information clear. I want to model this skill because I believe that people listen better to short, clear statements. Long diatribes that "beat around the bush" cause messages to sometimes get lost.
3. She uses reflective dialogue techniques and facilitation skills. She recognizes that there is a great deal of expertise in our group, and she uses questions and guiding statements that help us work together to get things done. These skills are effective because it allows input from all parties involved in the communication and keeps the conversations moving in the right direction. I want to model these skills because makes the time that we spend together communicating meaningful and valuable, and on task.
4. She doesn't personalize communication challenges. She understands that people don't always agree with what she has to say, but she doesn't get bogged down by the emotions of the communication. She sticks to the facts and continues to communicate even when that communication is difficult. This skill is effective because it keeps communication moving even when people disagree. I really want to model this skill because I know that emotions can derail conversations. Separating passion and fact is valuable and allows everyone involved in the communication to feel safe about continuing the conversation.