Communication is the act of transferring information from one place, person or group to another and every communication involves at least one sender.

Whether it is public speaking, talking to your colleagues or interacting with your family, the answer is simple when it comes to the question of good communication.

Imagine yourself being part of a conference and the person standing in front is speaking away from you, facing the slides or writing on the board. This is lecturing.

Now think of a person who faces the audience, makes eye contact, and has invested time and energy thinking about how you think. That person will feel the energy in the room and knows if you are lost or still engaged.

Analogies are a powerful tool when explaining a concept. You can adjust the story depending on the audience. If you want people to connect to your content, make sure they can relate. How much would your hospitality audience retain if you spoke about the importance of positive cash flow? Instead talk about the importance of having the pantry stocked up so you don’t run out of your star dish on the menu.

Read people’s reactions, body language and eye movements. If you find people starting to check their phones or chatting to the person next to them, chances are you lost the room. Pose questions towards your audience to foster engagement.

The same is true when it comes to business culture. Just because you don’t hear every word that is said, doesn’t mean you can’t feel the tension in your work environment. No communication is also a way of communication.

Keep the channels open by creating trusted environments, by being empathetic, by leading with example and by engaging with relevance. Keep the channels open by creating trusted environments, by being empathetic, by leading with example and by engaging with relevance. Know your audience, know your message and be clear about your intentions.