4 Top Communication Skills And How To Improve Them.

Communication skills are a set of activities that ultimately make a quality public performance.

Communication today is very important both in the business world and in private life.

Successful communication helps us better understand people and situations. It helps us overcome diversities, build trust and respect, and create conditions for sharing creative ideas and solving problems.

A few weeks ago, Peter had an assignment to conduct a team building session for Human Resource seniors and his staff.  Peter is a friend of mine and I know him well. . Peter has over fifteen years building and managing teams in his company.

I arrived at his office and found him preparing.

“Team building is all about mastering your communication skills. Your success depends on your ability to cultivate different communication skills at different times”, Peter said.

“What are the top communication skills should I master and how do i improve them?” I asked him.

Peter had informative in-depth insights about this topic that I would like to share with you.

1. Active Listening

How can you communicate if you do not listen?

Yes, listening is a type of communication.

It is not just listening that will contribute to your communication effectiveness. You have to listen actively to your recipient so that you can actively engage them. Most people will agree that active listening is important. However, not everyone has a strong desire to develop this skill.

Hearing means the other person is speaking, and you just stand in the room and listen. Active listening, on the other hand, involves fully engaging and internalizing what you hear. Always try to acknowledge others and be respectful when they speak to you.

One of the most common complaints of all relationship conflicts that arise is the feeling that your voice is not heard. How can you improve on this?

Many people think they are good listeners, but the truth is they are not. The problem is that we don’t know what active listening is. This can be because we are constantly moving with a busy brain.

First, when interacting with others, give them your full attention and presence. Listen to what they mean, ponder what they say, ask open-ended questions, and show empathy.

When you notice that your thoughts are wandering, do the work of recovery. Keep in mind that developing this skill takes time and practice.

2. Non-Verbal Communication

Did you know that people say a lot, not through their words, but their expressions?

Non-verbal cues are essential to growing your communication skills.  I remember there was an event I attended and the speaker kept standing straight; no verbal cues, no smiling and movement. The speech became boring and the audience stopped listening, this clearly shows how verbal communication is important.

You have to express yourself in a manner that matches what you say. As you move your hands, are you trying to illustrate your words? For example, you cannot be smiling when a colleague is expressing a problem to you.

Using appropriate non-verbal cues will help you become approachable and dependable; once you have these qualities, climbing up the career ladder will be a no-brainer for you.

Do your facial expressions match the tone of the message you are giving? Once you master how to handle your non-verbal cues, your communication skills will be top-notch.

3. Emotion Control.

Feelings play a big role in communication. Emotional awareness, or the ability to understand feelings, will help you succeed when communicating with other people. If you are emotionally aware, you will communicate better.

You will notice the emotions of other people, and how the way they are feeling influences the way they communicate. You will also better understand what others are communicating to you and why. Sometimes, understanding how a person is communicating with you is more important than what is actually being said.

Have you ever tried to hide your feelings?

It’s pretty hard for most of us to do. That’s because emotions don’t lie. Instead of trying to hide or ignore your feelings, focus on becoming aware of your feelings and the feelings of those around you in order to be a better communicator.

4. Written Communication.

You can also communicate through the written method. Be it through memos, an email, a tweet, or a letter, the main goal remains to be dissemination of information.

“With the written type of communication, you have to be very intentional. Any form of poor writing skills will lead altercation of your intended message”, Peter said.

Have you ever received a poorly written mail or a text message? It makes it difficult for you to understand the message they were trying to convey.

Remember that with verbal and non-verbal, the recipient can see and hear to help them understand your message.

When reading a written message, they only rely on your words to decipher the information. To avoid this, ensure that you use the best choice of words, correct grammar and ensure precision in your messages.

Do you think you can effectively employ and improve these communication skills to help better your career?

Not confident that you can? Join this Communication Skills training today and learn more on communication skills and how you can improve them.