Golden Key Webinar #13

Effective Communication in Work and

Non-work Contexts with Aishwarya
Bagchi
Effective communication is key to building and maintaining relationships with
colleagues and with other people you network with. The webinar will cover some basic
ways in which you can improve how you communicate.

Aishwarya Bagchi
 Senior solicitor
 New Zealand
 Tutor, lecturer in Law
 Has PHD
 bagchias@gmail.com

Effective Communication?
 Doesn’t mean you have to be a perfect speaker
 It’s knowing what you want to say, so the listener understands you
 To be able to speak to get the outcome you want

 Communication can be applied in real-life, but also via emails, resumes, etc. – verbal and
written communication
 Communicating is an essential part of life!

The Tools You Need

 Vocabulary – understand the words you say, read, build your word bank
 Logic – the order of your topics, what is and isn’t necessary to speak aloud
 Empathy – decide how you should say with emotion in mind
 Authenticity – choose words and content that reflect your style, rather than what you think
you should sound life

 These can be applied to all 4 rules below

 Below are the 4 rules of effective communication

1. Say Something Only If It Is What You Mean

 Speak/write what you are trying to say – speak the truth
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 Get your idea out of the head, write it on paper

 Now edit and refine this idea
 ‘Will it make sense to my reader?’
 ‘Can I say the same thing more simply?’
 One idea per sentence
 Yes, editing your words takes time
 Make your reader feel comfortable when they read your work
 Guide your reader by making sure your words flow coherently

2. Say Something Only When You have Something To Say

 Don’t just say something random to break the awkward silence
 It’s not authentic when you say things you don’t need to say
 Think before you speak
 ‘What am I trying to achieve by speaking this?’
 Keep small talk to a minimum – when was the last time you had a meaningful conversation?
Be authentic
 Share your personal perspectives and experiences – that’s when a connection happens
 Be yourself – that will make you stand out!

3. Be Yourself When Communicating

 Don’t try to sound like someone else, but be sure to have role models in mind
 Avoid writing in an artificial way, be direct and authentic
 Get fluff words out of the way

4. Communicate Expectations That Are Realistic

 Don’t be a people pleaser
 Don’t say things to make others happy – if you can’t keep your commitment, don’t say it
 Don’t assume you have to agree to what people tell you, bring up suggestions
 Don’t agree to a timeframe you can’t deliver on – it helps everyone if you are truthful
 But don’t tell them last-minute
 Rule of thumb: 2x the time you think the workload will take

Practice
 Practice, practice, practice
 It will make you more confident, and people will remember you for being yourself

Q: I stutter when I’m anxious. Do you have any tips for this?
 Take deep breaths
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 Take pauses
 Feel comfortable when you speak
 Feel in control of what you say

 Nervousness happens to everyone, even professionals

 Accept that you are nervous
 Nerves usually goes away when in the moment of doing an important event
 Nerves are normal