Sunday, May 10, 2009

The Art of Communication

By Andrew A.L. Tan

"All fast developing nations need to re-engineer mindsets with a 'paradigm shift' to match the country's first class infrastructures with first-class mentality to strive and aspire to be a nation of people with the 'graces of a civilised society' such as art of leadership, communication skills, politeness, respectfulness, tact and diplomacy, traditions, cultures, music and the arts."

In tandem with progress and development, materialism breeds a lot of arrogance, insensitivity, ego, pride, rudeness, intolerance and impatience. Thus we need to counter-balance that with a re-flowering of art, traditions and cultures so as to make a person more civil, and artistically and culturally refined.

The next thrust to achieve Vision 2020 is in training, education and human resources development on the acquisition of 'soft skills', communications and linguistic skills, leadership, people skills, character training and development. This will further foster racial harmony, unity, understanding integration and mutual peaceful co-existence!

Like in any normal society, citizens need to be instilled with excellent mindsets, to be able to speak and write well, to be mindful/tactful/diplomatic/respectful of others with patience, tolerance and peaceful co-existence, and to be professional/effective/efficient and project our country as modern and progressive to all.

Ours is a plural nation that need to be integrated as one and inculcating/nurturing greater interest in a speaking/writing/reading culture and to master the refined gentle art of inter-human and inter-ethnic communications.

More so in the age of globalisation, all of us need to achive the competitive edge with modern, liberal and progressive thinking.

Quick Counter-Punch (QCP) is gentle and non-aggressive but defensive, firm and assertive. It is meant to encourage us to master excellent communication skills in all aspects of dealing with various people (local and international).

We are neither anglophiles nor xenophobic, doormats and servile, and do not apologise for who we are. East is east and West is west, and never the twain shall meet! The weight of the historical emotional baggage of a colonial mindset must be discarded so that we can travel and progress faster, and walk taller. We are grateful to our leaders (past and present) for enabling us to be proud both as citizens and as a nation.

It is not what you think. QCP does not involve physical fistfights but will liberate minds and souls, guide you to the top, show you how to be a top leader and an excellent communicator and conversationalist, negotiate with public relation (PR) skills, and how to be able to handle a cross-section of people effectively for personal and corporate success.

The art of strategic leadership, strategic thinking, art of dynamic speaking and writing are "soft" communications skills in managing, handling and dealing with human resources. As a refined art for personal and corporate success and survival in the real world, QCP is a verbal self-defence technique that will assist you to come up tops in understanding and communicating with people and be successful leaders in each your own right.

Among various key issues, it refers principally to the art of leadership and negotiation skills, power, politics and protocol for "People At The Top" (PATT), brain skills, strategic and lateral thinking, marketing warfare, strategic war plan in project management and business or even romancing people.

Success or failure lies in exemplary leadership, excellent communications skills and the power of spoken word!

Whether at boardrooms or business/project meetings, at the negotiating table, press interviews, or dealing with tough questions, when public speaking or in routine, mundane relationships with people, one has to master the refined art and intricacies of speaking and talking.

Through the skilful art of verbal communcations, we can be successful in dealing with friends, business associates or adversaries, at worst our harmful enemies. We need to be able to defend ourselves when verbally abused through the gentle art of verbal self-defence, and also master the art of speaking, which include dynamic public presentation.

The art of communication will influence people to our advantage and also protect us from being verbally abused and getting hurt.

QCP shows you the way to accrue power and leadership in doing and saying the right things with eloquence, at the right time and at any setting by understanding neuro-linguistics, transactional analysis and human nature, their needs, motives and intentions.

In dealing with rude, crass and obnoxious people, we must learn how to cut them off immediately with the right words through quick thinking and appropriate retorts. Quick gentle answers do turn away wrath. Be wary of people whose words are maliciously connived and calculated to demean, belittle or insult, couched in double connotations and subtle sarcasm and spoken with forked tongues like a serpent. The naive and gullible will surely fall prey. Charm can also be deceptive!

In business, projects or education, of all resources at our disposal, humans are our most important assets, yet people are so complex and capricious that it takes great skills in harnessing their talents, know-how and expertise for success.

Never fight forces but use and harness them. To be successful in life, both social and corporate, we need to know the importance of dealing with all kinds of people, including mostly the combative and battle-hardened type (jerks).

PATT or "People At The Top" are natural masters of the art of QCP! We must observe them and learn from them.

The soft, nimble tongue is the smallest member in our body but the most powerful and evil. A little spark can put an entire forest at fire. The tongue is like the steering wheel of the car for it controls the entire vehicle. Even wild horses can be tamed through its tongues. It is like a double-edged surgical scalpel - it can heal or injure.

We need to understand and manage all kinds of people for success in our various endeavours. By our words we will be judged, and by them we are equally condemned.

Words spoken out of kindness and compassion to inspire and motivate will uplift another person, and make inter-human encounters and verbal exchanges more pleasant and enjoyable. The world will be in a more beautiful place to live in.

Songs, poems, prose, symphony and music are the rythms of life and enhance the quality of your lifestyle!