8 secrets to effective communication

Members of any audience will fall into particular behavior patterns. Recognize and address these tendencies to help your message resonate.

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The difference is more than attitude. We unconsciously experience things differently in our minds, often completely unaware of anything other than that something feels comfortable—or doesn’t.

Our brains use pattern recognition to manage and make sense of the enormous amounts of data they must process to keep us functioning. Understanding this process helps us to predict how others will act and to persuade or communicate more effectively with them. It also explains why they view the glass as half full or half empty.

Neurolinguistics

Neurolinguistics is the study of how the brain understands and produces language, so it drives how we communicate with ourselves and how we process verbal input.

Becoming acutely aware of the words that we and others use opens us up to the inner workings of the brain and helps us to make the most of those natural processes to become more empathetic and far better communicators. To lead our colleagues and help our friends, we must understand individual mindsets and customize our language and approach for them.

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