Humans are social creatures who rely on sharing information. Extroverts tend to be incredible communicators, while introverts are shy to put their message across. Believe it or not, but developing communication skills can help in many aspects of your life. It helps in solving conflicts, making optimal decisions, and builds trust among people.

Similarly, employers also look for candidates who can speak while maintaining a confident body language. After all, communication is verbal, written, visually, or through body language, and gestures. Nevertheless, the main objective is to spread the message across with clarity.

Are you an excellent communicator? Effective communication is all about listening actively, offering empathy, and open-mindedness. If you lack these skills or believe there is room for improvement – you are in the right place. Here we are unveiling seven tips to excel your communication skills.

1. KEEP IT CONCISE BUT SPECIFIC

Nowadays, everyone is in a hurry to get things done. Thus, no one has time to listen to you for hours or read 100-page documents as it becomes boring after a point. Therefore, strive to be concise and discover some acronyms like BRIEF to follow up on it. Here you will create a background for your statements and give reasons to justify the information. After this, you have to end the statement and follow up, ensuring the other person understands it. Frankly, it can polish your communication skills, so feel free to read more about it.

2. MASTER THE ART OF TIMING

Do you pass judgments quickly? A fascinating trait of an excellent communicator is that they are slow to judge. Before you make any conclusions, you have to wait for all information and facts to be available. Unfortunately, one miscommunication can lead to enormous blunders in organizations. Similarly, you have to be careful with your words and see whom you are talking to as you can’t spend 15 minutes communicating with a CEO.

3. SOAK UP THE BASICS OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Body language speaks for the person itself. Even a study found that 55% of the audience perceives the presenter through non-verbal communication skills. Alongside being careful with your words, you have to administer your body language too. Therefore, ensure you open up yourself and directly face the person or people you are addressing. Stop crossing your arms and maintain eye contact; it shows honesty while making the person feel that you are listening. After all, actions speak louder than words.


4. USE FORD FOR SMALL TALKS

Have you come across moments of awkward silence? Starting a conversation with a stranger is a bit hard, but continuing, it is a more significant challenge. Surprisingly, there is a way to avoid this silence and have a small talk – an ideal opportunity for practicing communication skills. Begin the conversation with a ‘Hi’ and keep it going by using the FORD method (family, occupation, recreation, dreams).

Think of a couple of questions for each category and then proceed to introduce yourself. Ask about family, friends, and move to the other. However, make sure to keep your questions informal rather than making it sound like an interview.

5. DON’T USE CONVERSATION FILLERS

Many people have a habit of using conversation fillers to complete their talk. For instance, you might go like Um, Ah, or Alas while expressing yourself. Unfortunately, it makes your conversation vague and weakens the quality of your statements. It also looks like you are not confident in what you are saying. Thus, control your tone, get rid of fillers, and speak logically by giving a formal touch to your sound. Start reading books and newspapers to improve your vocabulary and find a better choice of words.

6. LISTEN ACTIVELY

Effective communicators know when to stop and listen to the other person. Hence, to improve your communication skills, you have to become a good listener first. Let others take center stage in your mind by allowing them to speak. It helps you learn and understand their statements. Moreover, don’t bring other things in between. If you are discussing project A, refrain from talking about performance appraisals. Likewise, don’t send messages or look at your phone while the other person is talking because it seems disrespectful.

7. NARRATE A STORY

Undoubtfully, stories are an incredible brain activator as it develops the interest of the listener immediately. If you also have an exciting story to tell, then go ahead and bring an exciting twist to your conversation or presentation. It allows people to relate to your experiences, putting a positive effect on the listener. You can also use this tactic during interviews. It makes you look more persuasive and increases your confidence, helping you ace it. However, ensure the story is appropriate for the environment and relates to the context of the conversation.

TO CONCLUDE,

Communication skills are a lot more than getting a message across. It reflects your personality, style, and competencies because great communicators know how to deal with people. Alongside improving your choice of words, focus on things that can help you enhance your communication. It would promote a smooth, professional journey while enhancing your career prospects.

 

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