It’s more important than ever to communicate effectively in this fast-paced, connected world. Being an authentic communicator can help you stand out from the crowd, whether you’re giving a presentation, having a conversation, or just expressing your ideas.

You are told that you need to be authentic and communicate authentically, but what does this mean? Let’s look at the definitions of these two words:

• Communication: the conveying of information from one party to another
• Authentic—not false, genuine, or real

So, based on these definitions, authentic communication is a two-way transmission of real information. For some reason, that seems very technical. Let’s deem authentic communication as actually hearing and understanding what one another says, which would only be truthful and open conversing that is also compassionate. In other words, authentic communication is honest but not unkind. 

The genius of communication is the ability to be both totally honest and totally kind at the same time. ~John Powell

Why It’s Hard To Communicate Effectively

Everyone is familiar with the noise and appearance of inauthentic communication. You are pretty bad at pretending to be someone you are not, whether it’s an elite politician trying to sound like a working-class person to “get on the voters’ level” or a CEO announcing layoffs using sympathetic words when it’s obvious from her body language that she couldn’t care less.

However, why is genuine communication so difficult? Worst of all, how come some unintentionally come across as inauthentic when they care?

Connecting with your story is essential to authenticity. Making the listener see and feel as you do is what it means to be authentic. Authentic communication may often be instinctive; when you talk about something you are passionate about, your body will naturally become involved, your eyes will light up, and your breath will propel your voice.

An excellent source for seeing real presenters and how they capture an audience’s interest with the power of storytelling are TED talks. But occasionally, performance anxiety or jitters might obstruct genuine intuitive reactions. Here are some pointers to help bring forth strong, genuine communication on these occasions when it might not come as naturally.

The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives. ~Anthony Robbins

What is An Authentic Communicator?

The art of communicating your thoughts, feelings, and ideas honestly—without pretense or artificiality—is known as authentic communication. It enables you to establish a deep bond and earn their trust, which will ultimately have a lasting effect. You can engage, motivate, and inspire others more successfully if you embrace authenticity.

A person who communicates in a real and sincere way and expresses themselves openly and truthfully is considered an authentic communicator. Being authentic in communication means being honest with yourself and building relationships with people that are built on open communication, empathy, and trust.

It takes conscious practice and a journey of self-discovery to become an authentic communicator. Consider your communication styles, values, and beliefs for a moment. Recognize your assets, liabilities, and triggers that could prevent you from expressing yourself authentically.

Communicate honestly and openly to embrace vulnerability. Authentically share your views, feelings, and experiences, even if it makes you uncomfortable. Being vulnerable makes others want to connect with you more and encourages them to do the same.

Attempt to be consistent in both your words and deeds. Make sure your communication conveys your true objectives and that your actions are consistent with your ideals. Being consistent in your relationships increases credibility and trust.

Communicate transparently by being truthful and polite in your expressions of yourself. Express your expectations, opinions, and thoughts clearly, and promote candid communication. Being open and honest with one another fosters trust and encourages others to do the same.

The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. ~Peter Drucker

Habits To Authentic Communication

Here are ten ways that you can put into practice today to communicate authentically.

Be Aware:

You need to be conscious of your prejudices and how they may affect your communication with others. Being self-aware means having a clear perception of your personality, including strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivation, and emotions. Self-awareness allows you to understand other people, how they perceive you, your attitude, and your responses to them in the moment. By knowing yourself, you can communicate better and more authentically. 

Be Passionate:

Show your positive emotions and your passion concerning the issue or cause. Remember that your enthusiasm is contagious and can have a tremendous impact on how others grab onto the vision or believe in their ability to achieve the goals. Sharing how you feel can help others connect to you on a personal level, where all authentic communication truly begins. 

Be Present:

Fully present means that you are completely involved in the communication process. You’re not looking at your phone or thinking about what you will have for lunch. You’re unequivocally engaged in listening and understanding what the other person is trying to convey to you. Finally, you have your focus, your attention, your thoughts, and your feelings all fixed on the task at hand.

Be Responsible for Your Communication:

To actively listen means to be sure that the receiver hears and understands what you are saying. Listen more often than you speak, and when listening, focus on the speaker and his or her message content rather than thinking about how to respond to what is being shared.

Be Consistent:

If you give your word, keep your word. People’s expectations based on what you have said are how you form trust. This is vital to maintaining any type of honest communication between parties. It’s your responsibility to keep your word or to let others know when you may have an issue with a commitment you made. This shows that you respect the relationship and the overall task over your ego or pride. People will admire your honesty. 

The reason why so few people are agreeable in conversations is that each is thinking more about what he intends to say than about what others are saying, and we never listen when we are eager to speak. ~Francois La Rochefoucauld

Be Watchful:

People can tell if you are being authentic with them by your body language, your gestures, and your eye contact. To be conscious of your body language means that you are calm, not fidgeting or nervous-looking. You make direct eye contact while listening, showing that you are interested in what they say.

Be Caring:

Show real empathy and compassion over complex matters. Be other-oriented; this means that you are connecting to the other person and sincerely trying to understand their situation or side of the problem. Showing genuine warmth and understanding for the other person makes communication more genuine and less confrontational, so that you can all get along. 

Be Genuine:

Honest and open dialogue that is truthful and conversational is the best way to deal with those issues that require more delicate handling. No lying or exaggerating the issue at hand with overly emotional tones. Everyone wants honest communication, but being angry or overly sensitive isn’t helpful in finding a mutually beneficial solution. 

Communicate Clearly:

Choose your words for understanding, not impressing. Use straight-forward, unpretentious language so that the message you are trying to convey can be understood. You are responsible for making sure that the listener understands your words. Ask them to repeat back to you what they understood you to say as a check that both parties communicated clearly. 

Be Specific:

Don’t overgeneralize when you are speaking. If there is a specific problem, only deal with that issue. You need to be factual and less opinionated when you are discussing issues with others. Once you all understand the facts and details of the matter, you can plan options. This is when your opinions can be introduced.   

You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere. ~Lee Iacocca

Moving Forward Communicating Authentically

Recall that developing as a communicator requires time and practice and that authenticity is an ongoing journey. Accept the process of growth and exercise patience with yourself. You can develop into a more impactful and real communicator who builds stronger bonds and meaningful relationships by adding these habits and remaining loyal to your true self.

In the event of a communication breakdown, decide whether you will dwell in the negative or rise above the angst and turmoil, and in a positive manner, encourage all parties to listen and be heard. ~ Lori Myers

As you can see, authenticity in communication allows for an open exchange—of ideas, feelings, and support—that builds trust, commitment, and favor among listeners. If you would like more help in using these ten habits to be more authentic in your communications with others, please contact me at TerriKozlowski.com.

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What is Authentic Communication And Ten Simple Ways To Achieve It

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Authentic Communication as actually hearing and understanding what one another says, while being truthful and open that is also compassionate.

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Terri Kozlowski

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Kozmic Soul Solutions LLC

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