Etiquettes for effective communication

A pleasant bearing

Everyone likes to interact with a pleasant person

Greeting a person

Don't pretend to ignore your colleague's presence

Offering a seat

You never know how long an interaction will last. Make sure you offer a seat

Offering water

Offering someone a glass of water is the least you can do.

Listening carefully without interruption

Give the guy a break, listen to him entirely before countering

Paying undivided attention

Multitasking is fine. But not all the time. Definitely not when you're having a conversation

Addressing the issue completely

While addressing an issue, keep the other person in the loop at all times so they're not clueless

Offering explanations for inadequacyRather than saying a blanket 'no', providing an explanation about one's action can help the other person appreciate one's constraints or understand one's point of view.

Resolving all questions/doubts

Make sure you have resolved all the doubts the person might have

Pleasant parting

Make sure you part cordially

Non-verbal communication

Dr. Nimit Chowdhary

Importance

Be sensitive to the local culture, especially while interacting with a person of the opposite gender

Proximity

Don't stand too close nor too far

Hand movement

Be aware of the way your hands move. They can cause confusion and embarrassment

Fidgeting

Fidgeting is a clear indication of nervousness

HandshakeHandshakes need to be firm and not too brief nor to long in order to communicate warmth/friendliness.

Pointing

Pointing is often considered rude in various cultures.

Flicking, turning of headAn indicator of attitude, it can be interpreted as being dismissive of or unconcerned about the other and so should be used carefully.

Standing, on not being offered a seat

Very often, especially during an interview, the communicator deliberately does not offer a seat, attempting to use it to gauge the nervousness of the other person.

SittingWhile it is important to ensure that one is sitting comfortably, one should resist spreading out on the chair as it indicates sloppiness.

Carrying oneself

One should carry oneself in a manner that reflects elegance.This involves an erect but not stiff posture, complete absence of slouching and walking with steps that are comfortable, so as not to stride nor drag oneself.

Poise

To maintain and reflect balance, it is important to keep the feet at a distance that is in line with one's shoulders, so that one can shift one's weight, without moving around too much or causing distraction.

Folded handsAmong some people and cultures, crossing of hands is considered as defining a closed mind set and unwillingness to consider the other person's point of view.

Looking without staringWhile one needs to carefully observe another, in order to gather and interpret his/her non verbal communication, making communication more effective, it is important not to stare

Maintaining eye contactIt is crucial to maintain an eye contact with the person communicating with you

Covering the audienceAlthough it is important to gain one's composure at the beginning of the conversation, by looking at a member(s) of the audience, with whom one is comfortable or who reflect a friendly disposition, it is important to gradually shift one's gaze to cover the entire audience, to prevent alienating them.

Avoiding eye contact

Avoiding eye contact is usually believed to be a sign of hiding something or being guilty. However, one may deliberately avoid eye contact to reflect hurt/anger or to hide one's emotion from the other person(s).

Expression of emotionsIt is important to be aware that the emotions one reflects should be in sync with what one is saying. A variation in the words used and the emotions displayed can serve to confuse the receiver.

Keeping a neutral faceAt times it is important not to display the emotions one is feeling as it may serve to alarm, alienate or cause anguish to another individual; one should thus be able to keep a neutral face, on such occasions.

Etiquettes in yawning

Yawning is rude. Period.It is important to suppress a yawn or at least cover one's mouth while yawning. Else it reflects a complete lack of finesse.

Importance of dressing

Clothes should essentially be worn to suit an occasion/the ambience. Inappropriate dressing as regards its formality can cause discomfort and embarrassment and should therefore be avoided.

DecencyClothing should be such that it does not make the observer feel awkward. This is as regards the fit, style and colour of the clothes worn.

ComfortEven among the type of formal wear available, one needs to choose a type that one is comfortable with. Being uncomfortable in the kind of clothes one is wearing not only affects the overall impression about a person, but can also affect one's confidence and one's ability to communicate effectively.

Body odour

Though body odour may be natural, it can prove to be very offensive and can be controlled. One needs to be aware of this as it can result in people shying away or can even affect growth in the organisation's hierarchy.

ColourColours can have varied meanings across cultures, religions and groups and it is important to be sensitive to them. For example, while in certain communities brides wear white in others widows wear the same colour, both essentially as reflective of chastity.

ColourCertain colours have uniform reference points, while some may vary according to situational contexts. One needs to be conscious about these variations in order to decode the meaning and relevance of the colour effectively.For example the colour red reflects danger as also passion; while used in a signal it would reflect the former as a lipstick colour it could be used to symbolise the latter.

Importance of sign and symbolsCertain signs and symbols can have specific cultural reference and one may therefore need to be aware of/study the culture in order to interpret them or avoid misinterpreting them.

AmbiguitySigns and symbols can be ambiguous and one therefore needs to be especially careful while thus reproducing them as well as interpreting them.Moreover, the same object can have different symbols for example the old and new manner of symbolising 'rupee'.

Silence

Silence can be used to achieve various objectives and hence needs to be used with utmost care as it is greatly open to misinterpretation. Moreover, since it can be used towards varied ends, it is important to observe the person's non-verbal cues or read between the lines, so as to arrive at the right meaning of the silence adopted by the communicator/listener.