Start right in 2019

This New Year, I believe it is very important for us to have a solid start with specific objectives in mind. Communication is very important; you communicate whether you want to or not. Just as you make major plans at the beginning of the year, which some refer to as New Year resolution, you should also have major plans for your communication and interaction with other people. We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result. If indeed we want this year to be far better than last year, we have to deliberately aim at effective and contribution-oriented communication.  Today, therefore, I want to suggest a few areas in your life in which you should try to start right in 2019.

• Personal Life: I dare to say that this is one of the most important areas in which you need to deliberately manage your communication. This area represents your comfort zone. It represents your life when you think no one is watching. It is your life when you let down your guard. It is your life when you think you are not being scrutinized or judged. In 2019, be yourself inside and outside. Know that whatever you do or say communicates something to everyone around you. They either believe that you are a responsible and reliable person to deal with, or they feel that you are better avoided. Remember, if you don’t have people’s respect and trust, they will never want to deal with you.
• Business: ok, I agree that I am not your regular business consultant. I may not even have the slightest idea of how to do your kind of business. But I know that they say “customer is king!” Yes, you may tell me how annoying your clients or customers tend to be. In fact, I agree that sometimes, it seems like they actually set out from home to upset you. Nevertheless, that is all part of the ‘fun’ of having a business. What if you decide to make difficult customers or clients a major target in your business? You can determine that you will make every customer smile about one thing or the other while being attended to. This, of course, does not make you a clown; it just means that you are going the extra mile to make your customers like you and what you have to offer.
• Academics: For students, it is extremely important to develop an effective communication system this year. If you have worked really hard in the past and your results did not justify your efforts, then you need to change your strategy. I believe it is not enough to study a subject, it is perhaps more important to study the teacher. Some teachers don’t like lengthy explanations in exams while some others would not be satisfied until you have used several pages. This crystallizes the fact that no two people are the same. You must learn to communicate with each teacher on his/her own terms.
• Career: the workplace is a very dynamic place. It is very important that you learn to communicate with three valuable categories of people; your superiors, your colleagues and your subordinates. Mutual respect is one of the best ways to communicate friendship. When it comes to your superiors, they read both your verbal and nonverbal cues. They can tell when you don’t like the job, when you don’t like them, when you are being lazy, etc. The best way to impress your superiors this year is to change your attitude to your work; love what you do (even if you have plans to move on soon). Your colleagues are also very important because you work with them on the same team a lot. As for your subordinates, if you underestimate them, it is at your own expense. If you care for and respect them, they will go out of their way to help you succeed.

Thanks for reading my article today. I would really love to hear from you. So, do share your views with me by sending SMS to 07034737394, visiting www.olanreamodu.com and following me on twitter @lanreamodu. Remember, you are currently nothing compared to what you can become. Don’t lock your potentials in; let them breathe!