Ashish Jhingran, Contributor

As we have realised by now that we employ various communication methodologies, verbal which entails spoken and written communication and non-verbal, which is through body language, facial expressions, etc.

Basically, we communicate with a purpose - to get across the right message to the desired quarters, the emphasis here is upon the word 'RIGHT'.

There are times when we blame others for not having conveyed the right message. Well, this may or may not be true.

There is a possibility that the 'sender' did not communicate the right message; but there is also a possibility that we as 'receivers' of the message, did not understand the message correctly. Our perception, understanding, learning, reception all play a major role in getting the message right.

So, how do we close this gap and address the issue.

Sender's Responsibility

a) Create the right message - It is imperative for the sender to think through and create the right message that needs to be sent. For instance, who is the receiver? Is it an office colleague, a vendor, a customer or a legal counsel? Is the message meant only for the receiver or is open for others too? That is, do you wish people other than the one directly addressed to get your message too? Accordingly, the message needs to be framed - direct or indirect; short or lengthy; formal or informal.

b) Select the right channel - How the message is to be sent is an important decision that the sender has to take. The urgency of the message, the receiver's ability to receive, the efficiency of the channel, are some of the factors that affect this decision.

c) Send the message - It is the sender's responsibility to send the message and ensure that the same has definitely been sent. This of course is the sender's onus.

Receiver's Role

a) Receive and acknowledge - Once the message has been sent and travelled through the channel and reached the destination, it becomes the receiver's responsibility to accept or decline the message. This is relevant particularly in cases where email, Internet messenger, short messaging, etc are used. This is where the receiver has the option of ignoring to reply. Though, it is advisable, wherever possible, that the receiver acknowledges the receipt of the message.

b) Comprehend the message correctly - The message is useless if it is not understood as it is meant to be. As a receiver, you should make sure that you understand the message correctly. If in doubt, you ought to connect with the sender and clarify your doubts.

c) Act accordingly, provide feedback - Once the sender and the receiver are on the same page, the receiver ought to act as is required of him. In order to complete the communication process, it is important that the receiver provides the sender with an appropriate feedback.

Next: Some important skills for becoming an effective communicator.

The author is a seasoned professional with more than 18 years' experience in handling varied functions. A business management graduate from India, he is currently director of sales, marketing & operations with a Montego Bay-based software solutions company.He can be contacted atajhingran@yahoo.com.