Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly Akintayo Emmanuel Looks at 3 Ways to Improve Communication Skills
If they were completely honest with themselves, most people would acknowledge that their communication skills could stand to be a little (or perhaps a lot) improved. To achieve this life-changing objective, here are three tips according of Akintayo Emmanuel, the Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly:
1. Listen More, Talk Less
Most people don’t hesitate to share their opinions, declarations, reports; and anything else that they feel like communicating. But when it comes to listening, the story is markedly different. However, the ability to truly — rather than superficially — understand others is at the core of effective communication. Without it, communication simply cannot happen. As proclaimed in Proverbs 18:2: “Fools find no pleasure in understanding, but delight in airing their own opinions.”
According to the Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly Akintayo Emmanuel: “Many people who believe that they are good listeners would be surprised — or make that shocked — if they watched themselves on video, because they would see how little they actually listen. As the old saying goes, God gave us two ears and one mouth, which illustrates that we should do twice as much listening as speaking.”
2. Choose Your Words Very Carefully
The adage “actions speak louder than words” has merit — especially when it comes to be consistent with one’s values and not being hypocritical. However, this should not give people carte blanche to say whatever they want with impunity; because even their words do not lead to adverse action (by themselves or others), they will ultimately be accountable for every utterance; good and bad. As proclaimed in Matthew 12:36–37: “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Commented Akintayo Emmanuel: “The Bible makes it excessively clear that while God will never stop loving us and pointing us in the right direction, we are the author and architect of our fate and destiny. If we plant flower seeds with our words, they will blossom into beautiful creations. If we throw thorns with our words, we will injure ourselves and anyone else who crosses our path.”
3. Be Honest and Don’t Gossip
The root word of communication is communicare, which is Latin for “to make common to many; share.” Naturally, this sharing cannot happen when communication is deceitful, or if it aims to humiliate, ridicule, or deride another behind their back and without their knowledge. As proclaimed in Leviticus 19:16: “Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.”
Commented the Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly Akintayo Emmanuel: “Many of us permit ourselves to spread falsehoods or gossip because we’re angry, hurt, or fearful, and our words — as harsh or hateful as they may be — seem to give us relief and repair our bruised egos. But what we fail to realize is that this relief is both temporary and inauthentic. Inevitably, our words come back to us and cast a shadow over our character. They weigh us down and prevent us from hearing the pure, compassionate voice in our heart that urges us to speak truthfully, carefully, lovingly, and with an eye towards uplifting others instead of tearing them down. Even when we must communicate something unpleasant — perhaps we must tell our child that they have behaved badly, or we must let go of an employee who has seriously broken the rules — we should never resort to falsehoods or gossip.”
