 Thanks for staying with us now. Effective professional communication is about conveying important information from one source to another. If that information is communicated clearly and effectively, businesses are most likely to run efficiently. A worker who learns his boss's preferred communication and decision-making styles is less likely to make mistakes that hurt his advancement prospects. Managers are also more likely to advocate for workers who ask how to carry out a task properly or present multiple solutions for problems that may arise on the job in a clear and effective manner. Now, we all know that nearly every job posting contains the word strong communication skills or effective communication skills. So, today we are asking what is the proper communication and what impact does it have on career advancement. Now, please, let's hear what you have to say. Remember, you can join the conversation, send us an SMS or WhatsApp to 081-803-384663, or you can also tweet at us at WeShow Africa 1 with the hashtag WeShow. So, I'll bring in our guest in a minute, but I just want to hear your thoughts because, you see, I've seen people that we speak. They don't talk everything they want to talk, but you cannot make sense out of it. You know, there's one thing to talk, there's another thing for you to effectively communicate that whatever it is that you have just said. A lot of times there's always a mix-up, and that's why you see so many, you know, people, you're not able to assimilate or comprehend what the person, the other party is saying, and you always find conflict. People are not able to also communicate effectively what qualities that they carry. I see some people, when they talk, you really want to just go with them. But some people that are even more skilled, better, excellent at what it is that they are doing, because they are not able to communicate that, you know, they are not being promoted, they are not being, you know, advanced in their careers. So it's just a lopsided kind of thing. Well, let me hear your thoughts quickly, then I'll hear Isidem come to the guest. Well, they've said, well, it's very true that those are the things that we see today. There are some people who just, what they have to say is in their head. That's another thing. Putting it out there, putting it in words is a completely, you know, I was having a conversation with a colleague of mine, and he was trying to imply we were saying the same thing, but we were using the same phrase, but it was very obvious we meant it in different ways. You know, he says, life is give and take. And I say, and he was talking about giving, yeah, giving out either money, financial or help or something. And I said, my ideology of life is an open hand would never lack. And he said, life is give and take. I said, it seems like we're saying the same thing, but we're not. I'm saying this is how I live my life. So I live given not to expect. You live given to expect. And because you have expectations, you would always be let down. I give and it comes because I do not have expectations. And he kept saying, hey, but you're saying the same. I said, no, we're not saying the same thing. We might be using the same phrase, but we mean it in two different ways. So that is part of it. And we had this argument for almost 30 minutes. And I just said, you know what, I call it a truce and we'll get back to work. So, you know, we went back to work. But yes, it's one thing to communicate and it's another thing to communicate effectively how the other person will be able to understand. And we'll be able to understand and be able to respond appropriately. Let me hear your thoughts. AC. Yes. I totally agree with what Angie says, but there's also something that also I what there's something I also know that we should also take into cognizance, which is the saying that says that the type of adjectives you use makes me understand the kind of person you are. So if you have to communicate, you have to communicate effectively using the right adjectives. Also, we should also like use the words you want to, the precise words you want to use to express your point of view, which was the problem Angie and Pierre had. And also need to also look at the phrase which you had, which was communication works for those who work at it. If you do not work at it, if you do not go the extra mile to think about the message you want to pass across, think about who you are passing that message across to. And then you now sit down and construct what is that message you want to send to the recipient. Then there is a challenge. That is where there is this communication. And that is where you don't have a concise and clear communication and what's called a clear and concise communication expressed immediately right there and then. So we have to also take all of these into cognizance because communication is about purpose, message and recipient. Absolutely. Now, let me bring in our guest, Gloria Ulufako, also known as Dr. Glow, is an international event host and award-winning radio presenter, diction coach, voiceover artist and communications specialist as a West Africa broadcast media academy, certified MC and compare. Gloria has hosted myriad of events in Nigeria and other African countries. Now she is currently the head of media and communications at Luminous Hills Investment Limited, one of Nigeria's pace-setting providers of real estate solutions. She's also the founder of TGO Media, which is a media and brand communications firm that caters to media coverage and hosting services for events. And she is Grace, our studio, looking all radiant in her yellow. Hi, Gloria. Hello, Ren. Hello, Ren. Thank you. Thank you. Let us all get that out of the way. Very bright. How are you? I'm very well. How are you too? I mean, so this conversation, right? I think because, again, we are in really tough times right now. And every single thing you do would either make you or ma you. Absolutely. Especially career-wise and growth, right? So it's important that we begin to touch on some things that we do recklessly or some things that we do not pay attention to that can actually change the trajectory. So I remember going on Instagram and I saw a write-up. In fact, I even said, I screen-grab that write-up. I said, I think it's high time for you to sit down, look at the structure of how this person has communicated what they do and go back and replicate that for your brand. You do a lot. But you're not able to put those pieces together. I'm far, far better from where I started, but I'm still not where I want to be. Because when I see some people write up and they would just write all the, I said, but this thing this person is writing. I do much more than this. But how come I'm not able to communicate it right? Because, again, it doesn't just stop at career in terms of a work environment. Career even as an entrepreneur, career even as a brand, right? If you're not able to properly communicate what it is that you do to your audience, you are likely not going to grow. The difference between people, like you see all those brand influencers, celebrities and all of that, go and check. They have gotten their communication excellently well. They are able to tell past the message clearly. So you do not mix, you do not mix any, you don't have any mixed feelings about who they are. You know what they are doing. You know what they are about. And that's why you see that their growth trajectory is just there. Instead of the ones that are, you know, today they are confused where are you. So I mean, just help us out here. Because when we talk about proper communication, what does it mean? Is it about speaking right or what exactly is proper communication and how can it advance one's career? Oh, great question. And it's such an amazing to be here. Thank you so much for inviting me. I mean, proper communication is you letting somebody know what your intent is and they get it. So it's a place of you not miscommunicating. So proper communication, what's your intent? What do you have to say? And do they get what you have to say? A lot of people just let people in on what they have to say. This is what I'm all about. But they do not wait. Does this person understand what I have to say? What's the feedback? And I loved what you touched on. You talked about celebrities, influencers, how that many people know what these people stand for. They've been able to communicate their brand in such a way that people already know that this is what they stand for. This is what they do. Okay, so how can you communicate your brand as a person and then people are able to receive you and they understand what you're doing. It's proper communication. So from your intent to your passing the message and then the person at your receiving end understands clearly that this is what you're saying. And let's come home to career. I mean, when I started out as event hosting, diction coach, you know, a lot of people were like, Gloria, are you doing everything? How do we understand what you're doing, what you stand for? How do we understand that oh, Gloria is an event host or Gloria is a diction coach? But what I was able to do was I was able to intertwine everything to media. Okay, so I host events. I teach you how to sound right. I'm still communicating hosting events. I'm helping brands communicate their message sounding right. I'm helping you as a person communicate properly. So people were able to get that way that, okay, Gloria is into the media. So as a human being, as a brand, how well are you able to let people in on what you're doing? And they get it to anybody watching me right now at home. And you're wondering that how do I even allow people know or get people to understand that this is what I do? First off, be very clear. Know yourself what you're doing. Be very spot on. Carve your niche. Let them know that is she's a TV presenter and just a TV presenter. So when you see who has some day probably at an engineering workshop fixing a car, you're asking yourself, well, when did you start fixing the car? Do you dig? So let people, you yourself, you need to be very clear about what you're doing. Because when sometimes when you're not clear about what you're doing, it's difficult to communicate to people what you're doing. So you need to first of all internalize what you're doing. Carve your niche for yourself. Let people, let them register in people's minds that this is what you're doing. I think that's the very first step to take as we're going out, share most steps. Absolutely. That's great. So when it comes to communication, I feel like communication in the workplace helps you a lot because it creates that confidence. Because I've realized a lot of people, when you lack that communication skill, most times they're a bit more timid. You want to lag behind. You don't want to be the one to, you're not up for giving suggestions or talking in public environments. You're very timid. What do you have to say? Oh, nothing. I'm okay. I'm okay. But when you are an effective communicator, you have that confidence. And people tend to, even with the confidence comes trust. You see some people and they're saying a lot of rubbish. You're looking at them. You're wondering. Other people are nodding. And you're wondering, what are you guys... It's the confidence. It's the confidence that they're, you know... You need to spew nonsense. And you're looking at them and you're wondering, what is this person saying? But because of the way they're speaking, people are nodding and saying, wow, even if she's saying rubbish, that rubbish makes sense. So it's part of it. It creates some level of trust. And if I can speak freely within the work environment, it helps for a lot of things. It helps with teamwork. It helps you be able to collaborate with your team. And it goes far. Like, there are a lot of benefits to it when you say within the workplace and everything. Like for me, when I go to certain environments, because you have the look and because you have the... You can communicate effectively. Most of the time I'm pushed to the front and say, oh, NJ, oh, no, do this. You know, represent us. So I'll push a question to you, but we'll do that after the break. From what she's said, right? How do people that are like in work environments, that are teammate, how do they start to, you know, build that confidence? We'll do that. But let's go on a quick break over right back. All right, thanks for staying with us. Now, if you're a student, we're discussing proper communication and its impact on career advancement with Gloria Ulufekko. Now, please, let's hear what you have to say. Remember, you can join the conversation. Send us an SMS or WhatsApp to do it. 1-803-4663. You can also do that as a way show after one. Or the hashtag way show. All right, so Gloria, based on what NJ had talked about, confidence, right? Because I know that again, if you're knowledgeable and you're able to communicate effectively, it gives you this kind of courage that you're always, you're not, you know, you're not intimidated. You can always hold your ground in board rooms anywhere you find yourself, especially in the workspace. And someone is dealing with that timidity or whatever. How do they even start? What's the process? Okay, I mean, great question. I've been asked this question quite a number of times. Gloria, I'm shy. How do I start? Most especially for event hosts. Well, let's bring it home. We're talking about higher development here. I have colleagues that are shy and they really get to voice out their displeasure. Probably they had a bra with the boss or with their colleague. And they're like, Gloria, I don't even know how to approach my boss to tell them I'm not pleased with this. So what I would say is first, start small. Start small with communicating, proper communicating with your colleagues. How do you share your thoughts with your colleagues? I know we might want to say, oh, you want to talk to your boss. It's my boss I'm having issues with. But first off, how do you communicate to your displeasure, to your colleagues? Oh, your colleague comes late to work and you're not happy about it. How do you let them in on it? Okay. So I'm not happy you came late to work. You shouldn't be coming late to work. Don't you think you should do this, do this better? So when you're able to start small that way, communicate with your colleagues then you can grow into communicating with your boss. And I'm sure that in every company there's hierarchy where you have the CEO, then there's your line manager, exactly your director. So just before you've jumped the level of going to the CEO, how well do you communicate with your line manager? How well do you communicate with the HR? Now that's a lot of people make that mistake. They don't have a personal communication with the HR. It's very important looking at, we're talking career, right? And that's why I'm making mention of the HR. HR is, most companies, they do a lot of work in getting proper HR department because you feel like that's one of the strongest departments of any company that will thrive. So how do you as an individual communicate? Do you have a relationship with your human resource manager? It's very important because many times you find out that shy people would rather talk to the HR and then the HR does the talking to the boss, okay? So ensure that you have and you build a personal relationship with your human resource manager, start small. That way you begin to find your voice. Absolutely. I like where you're going with the conversation because HR is quite important and very intricate for any organization to thrive because if you have the wrong recruits as an HR manager, it's very likely that the companies will just go down. That's right. And again, when you talk about career advancement, those are the people that will then sit down to say, okay, I think this person is due for a promotion. This person has displayed some level of growth and all of that. So it's quite important what you mean. Well, I was about even adding that when you are shy and your HR understands that you are a shy person, you can't speak for yourself. You mentioned just now that your HR would be the one to put a word for you during promotion process that, oh, don't you think that we should take a look at this person's work because you have built a relationship with your HR. So even if your colleagues do not see a reason, your HR sees a reason for you to get that promotion, you're doing so well. You're not vocal, you're not out there, you're not outspoken, but you're getting the work done. As long as you're diligent for your work. Exactly, you're diligent at your work. So your HR is able to put a word for you before you see you and then you get what you're looking for. All right, Isi, you have a question for our guest? Yes. Yes, totally, I do. Hi, Gloria. Hello, Isi. My question is, let's talk about innovation in the workplace and communication skills. How important is this? And what's the influence of communication skills to an effective innovation space in the workplace? All right, Isi, I mean, when I understand what you mean by innovation is you have ideas, you have new ideas to share and you want to communicate it, okay? So I'm sure that we have teams. Every workplace has a team. And so as you go on in your journey, in your career, you'll definitely be put into teams. As a matter of fact, I'm very sure that whilst you are trying to get the job, your interview process, the question that I'll ask you is, are you a team, are you working a team? Do you know how to handle team work? Are you a team player? And then a lot of us say, yes, yes, yes, we are team players. Okay. But then again, when it comes to you acting out that you're actually with as a team player, it begs the question that you have an idea to share. You have something to share. Can you share with your team first? Let them believe in what you have. Then when it is done, you cannot put it out there. So you have an idea to share at work. You have something then. Another thing is approaching your boss. Many a times we have such brilliant ideas. Okay, let me give you an example. So I work for a real estate company and I think about two days ago, the HR was trying to employ a video guy to work with us in the media department because I headed the media department and we had lots and loads of entries, applications. And then I just thought about it that, why can't the HR just start the application process now instead of waiting for the window period of application to elapse for starting? And how did I go about communicating my thoughts and my idea to the HR? I simply walked up to him. I knocked his door. Hello, sir. I think that it's better you start the interview process now instead of waiting till the entire window period elapses. Why? So that you're able to thoroughly do a proper interview for everybody where you don't have quite a number of persons. You know the way interview processes can be in Nigeria where you have a lot of people standing outside for interviews. But if you do it in batches, I think it's going to help us get the best. And I was like, that's amazing, Gloria. Thank you very much for that. I'll look into it. Okay. So you've been able to communicate first with your team and then you can also... Your HR is... I'm very big on HR. I can see. See, who I'm very big on HR. I'm big on HR. I don't know how many companies actually use HR a lot in Nigeria. But guess what? So I have a consultant HR for my company and she's been doing an amazing job. Right? It's a tough place to be because I see that she's the one that takes on all the burden, all the complaints. But you see that once you're able to put in that structure and if you have the right person, like I said, HR has to be unbiased. HR has to be someone that has excellent impeccable communication skills. Absolutely. Because you are the one that will be able to listen in on grievances and complaints. And you're the one that will also communicate that to the superior authorities. So it's a lot of things that you need to... Because you are managing the people within the organization. So if it is gotten wrong, trust me, it's not going to work. But I was just going to ask that... There are people in organizations that have made it a point of duty that they would not see you grow. Right? They are oppressive in their style. They are not those kind of people that are like team players. They would rather want to be the one to be seen that I am the one doing the job. So if you are in that kind of an environment, what do you advise? How would you communicate that fear? And if you're not able to communicate that fear, is it advised that you just probably tender in your resignation and lead the organization? Or how do you manage those kind of things? Because if you have those kind of people in your team, it's very likely that you might never grow in that company. So how do you go about that? Well, that's a good question. Because I mean, I have had my own fair share of that. Really, NJ. Where you're doing all the work, but then when it comes to presentation time, okay, we bring stumps together. Everybody brought their A's, their B's, their C's. And I did the work, I did the research. And when it's time to present, you tell me you want to go for the presentation because you're going to be the one to get the well done at the end of the entire presentation. Okay, how do you handle such? First off, you have to be very wise. Because God help you. The person that is going to do the presentation and wants to be at the forefront is your boss. Because many a times it's easier when it's your colleague. You can easily walk up to your colleague and say, come, please, I don't understand. We did this thing together. How is it that you want to take the shine for the entire team? Okay, it's easier that way. But when it comes to your boss, what I would say, this might not go down with everybody, but what I would say is, first off, just allow them first off. Allow them to take the shine. Allow them to do what they want to do. Allow them to show that they're the ones taking the glory for whatever work it is you've done. And then later on, you can walk up to the HR again or wherever it is that you subbed to. You have a line manager. Let them know that we actually do the work together and that's why I'm very big on you being able to communicate in your workplace. If you've established the foundation of communication, where everybody is open to talk to each other, where everybody is not afraid of being shut down or you create such, and that's why I'm always big on telling employers to ensure that they create an environment where their employees are free to talk, access. You are able to let me in on what you're going through. It helps you thrive and it helps you develop in your career. Now imagine a situation where you're shut down when you want to speak, nobody's listening to you. There's every tendency that I would just send out my resignation and go, and I'm not even going to bat an eyelid about that. But when there's already an environment where everybody can speak, where everybody is free to let their thoughts out, it's easy for you to walk up to your line manager or to your boss and let them in and tell them that we actually did this work together. And so if this person continues to take shine for what I have done, it might as well just call quits and go. And if it's a very good organization, your manager should be able to do something about it. You'll be able to resolve it. Let's take that comment, NJ, then. This comment is from Austin, from Delta. The essence of communication can't be overemphasized. No matter the career communication is key, because without effective communication, dealing with a stubborn customer might boomerang. Even in religious circles, any pastor who communicates poorly in this 21st century will be put off his educated and enlightened... will put off his educated and enlightened audience, no matter the anointing. Hence, such pastors should go and acquire some communication skills. Come to the corporate world. That is why public affairs officers are engaged to speak on behalf of the company because they are well-schooled in that field. Do you know that using a word inappropriately can cost a company to pay huge money, huge money liable from desk officers, image makers must continually go for orientation. You are welcome back. Thank you. What do you say? I like what he's saying. Because you see, you are the image of the company from desk officers. If I feel like I'm the security guard, everyone in the organization should be able to communicate properly at every point in time, because you see, there's a language. Because we have been talking about what comes out of your mouth. There is a non-verbal communication that I was even going to come to that how are we presenting ourselves non-verbally that is communicating a very wrong image of who we're supposed to be and it's not making us grow. How are we doing that? People will say that people believe you more by what you've not said than by what you said. Because what she says sometimes, that's what a lot of people say, don't do as I say, but do as I do. Do as I say, but do as I do. But then again, what you don't do is even more important than what you've done. Because in whatever it is one person said, trust me, there are lots of unsaid statements behind. So how do you ensure that you are not misunderstood when you speak? Because I've gotten a lot of messages. Gloria, a lot of times this is not what I intended saying. And the issue is people always expect that you're supposed to understand how I feel. You're supposed to understand that this is what I'm trying to say. But how do you expect me to know that this is what you're trying to say? If you do not let me know that this is what you're trying to say. And your body language is not even helping you out. It matters, okay? So for example, you're telling me you're angry and then are you seeing people angry and smiling at the same time? Yes they are, they're angry at you but they're smiling and that's why you hear this one that you're smiling at me. I know you're angry, but can you just let me know exactly what it is you're thinking in your heart? So when you speak be very careful of your body language, your eye movement, your hand gesticulations, how you respond. Do you nod your head? Do you smile? Do you be very careful of your body language because it's nonverbal communication. There's verbal communication. Just what NJ is doing to over right now. So there's verbal communication nonverbal communication which we have underneath the gesticulation body movement and all of that and then the written communication that we use in our place of work, emails, text messages and all of that. So what you do not say is sometimes important than what you said so be very careful because so you wouldn't be misunderstood. Let me come to you Izzy. Actually I was going to talk about verbal and nonverbal communication earlier when I said I wanted to ask a question. However, there is also another question I want to ask which has to do with being a teaching coach. What has been your experience trying to interact with individuals who are seeking to boost their career or enhance the growth of their career basically in an organization. What has been your greatest challenge having to interact with them and what is the right language to use in an office basically. Okay. Being a teaching coach I love the fact that Izzy touched on that because it's quite an interesting part of what I do helping individuals and businesses communicate properly when it comes to teaching. I mean when you are in a corporate environment and you're supposed to speak formally okay but we know we are still having that discrepancy between using sir in Nigerian business environment because the white people do know you sir ma they call their bosses by their first names but in a Nigerian formal environment people still cringe a little bit when you call your boss by your first name. We have some companies that actually allow you call your boss by your first name okay but then it gets to a point where you know you have to put the ogre or ogre this ogre that sir ma but the white people do not really take that quite seriously so I just let people know that whatever it is you're doing ensure that you're not disrespectful insubordination is not tolerated in a place of work be very formal as possible whatever it is that you're doing speak appropriately when you're in the office when you say appropriate speaking in the office sorry to quote you the use of our native language like our native dialect rather right in an office environment is that even proper even though we say that okay yes we're Nigerians and all of that given that in a proper organization there are different tribes and tongues there you know is it right for you to speak in your native language when is it not isn't that rude when somebody else is by your side and the person cannot even understand what it is that you're saying of course it's rude so why do we do that well it's I feel like we just need to keep on see that it's from a pain point exactly who has really pained about this issue Engels Engels really I understand I've been in an office environment where I walked in and we were having a meeting okay and the meeting started and it started in Europe and I'm like what's going on here do you understand am I supposed to be part of this and somewhere in between my boss actually looked at me and said oh Engels I wasn't listening because you didn't understand the language no it's not whether I understand the language or not that was not the language for this meeting actually so even if I tell my I used to tell them in my office I said I switch off and on so I'm not Europe I'm evil so you can't start a meeting speaking Europe and you expect me to just have something to say in between I don't speak Europe so at that point in time my dictionary I cannot even only meetings yeah colleagues together you're in your room yeah and probably you're the only one whose dialect is different yeah and probably they're trying to communicate something between themselves and then they just switch to their dialect and you're looking and you're wondering that can you please at least speak English let's respect the fact that we are and then people do not know that they are subtly planting tribalism that way it's just a subtle planting in Europe or we're evil and then they're causing a division at work so English is what's proper for business environment so please let's just speak English because I've seen people being profited because they can speak very good English one quick one please what about the use of email in an office environment basically we use emails to interact basically to individuals or bosses or peers to invite in an office environment only using an email is it okay for us to express our displeasure especially when you're upset with a peer in an email wow emails emailing is another aspect of communication for businesses because when you're trying to express your displeasure in an email in as much as you're angry you have to turn it down a little bit because an email is a formal document and it's also a formal document it can be used against you and that's why you need to be very careful while you're trying to express your displeasure in an email I just feel like why send an email to a colleague you can just call the person No no no there are some colleagues that you have to document it who I agree but then again I agree with you also they told me this thing that my emails come across as harsh so I have learnt to stick to the issue not put any emotion in the email but detail the issue do you understand it's very important because again we're in an environment where people can deny that there was this issue there was no conversation do you understand especially if it is a colleague that you are trying so hard to correct something that has been repeatedly done wrongly if the person just make sure you stick to the issue detail it point by point hello write it point by point without emotions you'll be fine but I I strongly believe to always email things please for evidence for evidence for evidence actually with a stubborn colleague what help you you've had a conversation before Hannah the person is not listening you see me deeming absolutely but thank you so much good we have to bring you back we had an amazing time thank you thank you for having me thank you thank you now before we go and show you follow us social media handles at Weshaw Africa you can interact with us further we had a fantastic conversation remember to keep liking sharing and commenting invite you from friends to also watch and follow the conversation if you missed our quote for today here it's again communication works for those who work at it so you really must be deliberate about communication because that really can change your I mean it can advance you very quickly in your career so take pay attention seek easy glory they will help you out see you guys tomorrow at 8 p.m. must bring another great conversation to your screen enjoy bye