Effective Communication: 6 Ways to Improve Communication Skills
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Posted By: Nicole Rankine on January 24, 2022 Developing better communication habits requires several important skills that work in tandem with each other. Some of these skills involve the way you speak or hold your body, and others are more emotionally based interpersonal skills. Here are 4 Skills That Are Necessary for Effective Communication: 1. Listening skills: Clear communication starts with active listening. If you’re just focused on how, you are expressing yourself, chances are you are not listening or reacting to what others are bringing to the table. An effective communicator uses a variety of listening styles. They pay close attention to what’s being said and make others feel heard and considered. 2. Empathy: Being able to understand the feelings of those around you is an integral part of being an effective communicator. Empathizing means both understanding and relating to someone else’s feelings. Having high emotional intelligence and demonstrating an ability to empathize builds rapport between you and others and increases your ability to communicate. 3. Nonverbal communication skills: In addition to verbal messages, effective communication relies on nonverbal cues. Developing an awareness of your body language and tone of voice will improve your messaging and presentation skills. 4. Teamwork: The ability to actively engage in team-building and consistently collaborate with coworkers is an important part of building your business communication skills. The more you build strong relationships and rapport with others in the workplace, the more effectively you’ll be able to communicate with them. Learning effective communication skills is a straightforward process that allows you to express yourself and improve both your personal and professional relationships. Knowing how to listen well and communicate clearly will help you express yourself in job interviews, business meetings, and in your personal life as well. How to Improve Your Communication Skills If you feel like you lack the basic skills required for good communication, there are several reliable ways to improve. Here are a few tips for developing your communication skills: 1. Practice active listening. Effective communicators are always good listeners. Active listening means engaging with what people say by giving affirmative replies and asking follow-up questions to show that you are paying attention. 2. Focus on nonverbal communication. Mastering nonverbal cues and nonverbal signals can help prevent miscommunication and signal interest to those around you. Pay attention to your facial expressions and body language when you are speaking with someone in a professional setting. Your nonverbal cues affect the first impression you make on someone. Maintaining eye contact, limiting hand gestures, and having good posture go a long way when meeting someone for the first time. 3. Manage your own emotions. For the sake of clear communication and your wellbeing, it’s important to manage your emotions and express them appropriately in context. Allowing strong emotions to unnecessarily creep into a professional setting can lead to poor communication and conflict. 4. Ask for feedback. There’s no shame in asking for honest feedback on your communication skills from colleagues. Asking your peers or subordinates for their advice on improving your communication skills can help you better understand how you are coming across in your work environment. Cultivate a willingness to seek out other points of view and forge better relationships with your coworkers. 5. Practice public speaking. Public speaking may sound daunting, but there’s no better way to develop good communication skills than by seeking out public speaking opportunities. Great communicators can clearly articulate their feelings, whether they’re speaking to a large group or talking face-to-face to one other person. Regularly speaking in front of a group will magnify your strengths and weaknesses and force you to develop great communication habits. 6. Develop a filter. Effective communicators generally have highly developed social skills and can modulate how they express their thoughts and feelings to those around them. Know what’s appropriate to express in different interpersonal contexts. Developing a filter will help supplement other communication techniques and ensure that you maintain a certain level of decorum and avoid conflict in the workplace. LEARN MORE Be sure to join us THIS Saturday, January 22nd at 12 pm EST! Grab your lunch and come network and learn some more about how you can improve your communication skills. It's not too late to share with a friend! Don't come alone. Share with others! See you there! Register TODAY and Share with a friend! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/237820837527 Dr. Nic If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Nicole Rankine
Professor, GCU University of Georgia class of 2000 Member Since July 2021 |
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