More than ever technology in the workplace has made it critical for all workers (that means you too, real estate professional) to develop top notch communication skills. It used to be that the grump in the corner could sit there and get away with poor writing and nearly non-existent interpersonal skills, but today’s modern information worker must be able to communicate effectively.

What exactly is changing?

In case you haven’t noticed, the marketplace is fast becoming global in almost any industry you can name. Management hierarchies are flattening, with the cumbersome (some would say ineffective), old-fashioned, top-down management styles giving way to team-based structures where individual members are liable to be stationed all over the place. And what do we do when we have to work as a long distance team? Communicate!

Let’s review the five-step process of communication

1. Idea – Communication begins when the sender of a message formulates an idea. Maybe it’s a good idea. Maybe it’s a bad one. Regardless, nothing happens until someone thinks of something to share.

2. Encoding – Now that you’ve got an idea, what are you going to do? Keep it to yourself? Perish the thought. You need to encode the idea into words or gestures intended to convey meaning to someone somewhere.

3. Through the Channel – Whether it’s a computer, telephone, fax, cell phone, letter, report, or smoke signal, the encoded message has to be put into a channel for transmission to the intended recipient. The channel is simply the medium that transmits the message.

4. Decoding – The process by which the recipient translates the message symbols into something that has meaning to him or her is called decoding. Communication has not occurred until the receiver understands the intended meaning of the message.

5. Feedback – Last but not least, we come to the final stage of the communication process, which is feedback. Feedback is how the receiver lets the sender know that the message has been understood. Feedback can be either verbal or nonverbal. In the absence of feedback, the sender might ask questions to ascertain whether or not the message has, in fact, been comprehended.

No matter your stage in life or career, never forget that communication matters. Got that? Nod twice if you agree.

The AIPIS Team

Flickr / x1klima