Why we need to improve communication skills
After reading this guide, you will understand how to improve your communication skills, and help others do the same. Show Communication is a skill, and like all skills, you can get better at it through practice. You will be able to effectively employ these techniques in your workplace, which will improve interpersonal relationships, allow for better problem solving, and ultimately lead to better business outcomes. Discover: Why is good communication so important at work?It might be tempting to think that, as long as you do your job well, being a good communicator isn’t very important. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth! Every aspect of your job depends on communication, and how well you can communicate directly correlates with how well you can do your job. This has become even more relevant with the increase in remote work – bad communication skills have been highlighted by the increased use of messaging rather than face-to-face workplace communication. If you’re in a client-facing role, your communication with them will make or break the relationship. Think of the various aspects of that work that requires good communication:
If you are unable to do this, then the client will lose trust and could seek another company that is better at communication. If you’re in a management role or would like to be in the future, communication is key. According to LinkedIn research, communication skills are the number one most desired soft skill that employers want. Leading is all about being able to deliver your message well, explain concepts, give constructive feedback, mentor your team, and solve problems. How well you can communicate will be crucial to all of those actions. Even in roles where you are mostly dealing with your own team, your communication skills will help you achieve success in your role. Good communication will result in being able to explain problems, build solutions, form positive relationships with your department, and effectively collaborate on workflow. 5 Ways to improve your communication skills1. The importance of listeningWe cannot touch on the importance of communication without highlighting that a massive aspect of it is what you do when you’re not talking. Being a good listener is the most crucial part of communication. We’re not just talking about hearing the words that a person is saying; rather you should be tuned in to their non-verbal communication also.
All of these actions convey a lot of information. How to be a good listener:
By following the advice above, you demonstrate your engagement in the conversation, confirming to the person that you have heard, and understood, them completely. 2. Improving non-verbal communicationTo begin improving your non-verbal communication, first, you must begin by paying attention to it. As you go through your day, observe how you use the various types of non-verbal communication that we mentioned in our article about types of communication. Observe yourself:
Observe others:
Think about the positives and negatives that you observe. If there is someone who you find to be a particularly good – or bad – person to talk to, pinpoint why they make you feel that way. Pay attention to the non-verbal signals that they are giving off. You can mimic the positives, and be aware of the negatives. How to be better at non-verbal communication:
Simply being more aware of non-verbal communication, and the power that it has will help you be better at using it proactively and positively. If you observe that you tend to avoid eye contact during stressful negotiations, then you can make sure to put an emphasis on making consistent eye contact when speaking in the next meeting. 3. Improving verbal communicationTo improve your verbal communication, you’ll need to get better at both what you say and how you say it. It doesn’t matter how clear your message is if you are patronizing or rude when you say it. As we recommend for non-verbal communication, begin by observing yourself and others in conversation. Observe yourself:
Next, begin to think about the content of your verbal communications. We all know someone who takes ages to get to the point of the story, and how frustrating that can be, or someone who never gets to the point at all. Before you speak, know what you want to communicate.
While this advice is best suited for more formal presentations, this is effective in informal settings as well. Knowing what you want to say and having the facts to back it up will make you seem more professional, knowledgeable and decisive. Use pitch to help captivate your audience
4. Improving written communicationIn written communication, the first step to improve is to make sure that your spelling and grammar are perfect. There are plenty of online tools that can help you with this. You simply paste your writing into the app and then you get valuable feedback on spelling, grammar, and even the content. Now, this is not a perfect solution, AI is smart but can make mistakes, but it works very well for a quick check, especially if you are not the world’s strongest writer. Read more about the written type of communication. Take the time to re-read everything that you write
Formatting is key
More tips for improving your written communication:
5. Improving visual communicationAn important aspect of using visual communication is to only use it when necessary. A presentation stuffed full of visual aids that do not add to the content is messy, unprofessional and will distract from the overall message. You want to be judicious about what you include, and why you are including it. Make sure that you are using the proper chart to show the data in the clearest way, or are including only the sketches that will add to the audience’s understanding of the ideas for a new logo. Not all of us are graphic designers, but there are tools available to help us create professional-looking visuals. Make use of those! You don’t want your presentation to look like it was created in 1995. Default to clean, professional templates, rather than looking for something ‘interesting.’ Your message should be the star, not the font, color, or background image. |