I am Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits.
When building a profitable practice, you must be an effective communicator. To be an effective communicator, you must have excellent communication skills. The word communication is a general word, and its meaning could take on many roles, depending on the use and context. It also has many formats as its delivery mechanism. You can listen to music or watch videos, or you can read a book. Conversations are forms of communication as well. Because of the general aspect of communication, it’s difficult to imagine formulating it into a skill, but it is possible. Many colleges offer communication-focused programs, which elevates the field. It’s not necessary to study at a four-year college to enhance your skills of communication; it only takes basic knowledge and practice.
The biggest skill you can use to communicate better is to listen.
People are not natural listeners but instead, are wired to focus on themselves. People will always put themselves first. Part of that is a survival mechanism. But because of their self-serving nature, listening to others is secondary and requires people to put effort into being better listeners to increase their ability to listen to others. The next time you’re speaking with someone, repeat back everything they say. That may be a little unnerving to them at first, but if they look at you with a bewildered look, explain that you’re just making sure you understand what they said. Once they get past the awkwardness, they will welcome the exchange.
The next step towards becoming a better communicator is to use simple language.
When you want others to understand your meaning, you need to make sure everyone will understand the words. People have distinct levels of education. Therefore, you want to use the lowest common denominator when speaking to everyone. You should not view this as a means of looking down at others. Your goal is to make sure others understand you. Speaking and writing in basic language is the best way to accomplish this.
You must consider the feelings of the people with whom you’re communicating. Even if you are a manager, barking orders at people is one of the least effective ways. Consider everyone’s opinions and needs. Keep people engaged in the communication platform. This way, they take ownership in the process. That is a massive benefit for excellent communication. You will get more out of people when this happens than merely rattling off commands as if they are robots. There are instances, such as the military, where shouting out orders is necessary. But these are the exception, not the rule.
As you learn to communicate effectively, you might notice less disagreements, frustration, and even better engagement in your marketing.
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Listening is an important part of communication, especially in job interviews. Check out our blog here for ways to listen better and ace your interview.
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I’m Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits. Please go to businessofrehab.com/contractnegotiations to pick up the free guide to help you negotiate the contract of your dreams.
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