Good communication is one of the fundamental skills that you need to succeed in your place of work. Find out top 5 effective ways to enhance your communication skills.
One of the traits shared by the top leaders is the ability to communicate effectively. This , shows the importance of good communication skills.
But, communication is growing more informal as social media networking and texting become more popular. This happens even in places where more official communication is necessary. In fact, some people are unaware of the value of strong communication skills in the workplace.
Here are the top 10 effective ways to enhance your communication skills:
1. Listen, listen, and listen some more.
The person speaking to you should be the most important person in your life at that time. That’s because people want to be sure that the person they are talking to is listening to them.
Another important thing to remember is to just have one conversation at a time. This means that if you’re on the phone, don’t respond to an email or send an SMS. The other person will see that you are not completely focused on her.
2. It is important who you are speaking with.
When speaking with a friend, it is OK to use acronyms and casual language; but, when emailing or texting your boss, “Hey,” “TTYL,” or other informal language has no place in your communication.
You cannot presume that the other person understands the acronym. Check what you’ve written twice to ensure that your words are conveying the intended message. Do you want to be misunderstood since certain acronyms have diverse meanings to different people?
Effective communicators personalize their message to the individual to whom they are speaking. Therefore, when talking, keep the other person in mind.
3. Body language is important.
This is essential for in-person meetings as well as video conferencing. Keep an open body language to appear friendly. This suggests that you should refrain from crossing your arms.
Maintain eye contact with the other person so that they know you’re paying attention.
4. Double-check your message before sending it.
Spell and grammar checks are useful, but they are not perfect. You should be careful whenever you send a message. Hence, you should always check your message twice and then only send it.
5. Be succinct yet specific.
Practice being concise yet detailed enough in your written and spoken communication so that the other person understands what you are trying to express.
Also, before responding to an email, make sure you read the full email before writing your response. With enough experience, you will learn not to ramble or provide much information.
6. Make a list of everything.
Take notes when talking to someone else or during a meeting, and don’t rely on your recollection. Send a follow-up email to ensure you comprehended what was discussed during the chat.
7. Picking up the phone is sometimes preferable.
If you find yourself with a lot to say, phone the individual instead of writing an email. Email is fantastic, but sometimes it is simpler to express yourself verbally.
8. Consider your options before speaking.
You should never utter the first thing that comes to mind. Always stop for a while and then speak. This one habit will spare you from embarrassment.
9. Treat everyone fairly.
Respect everyone and avoid speaking down to them. Treat everyone equally.
10. Maintain a positive attitude and a smile on your face.
Even if you’re on the phone, smile since your upbeat attitude will be seen by the other person. People will respond positively to you if you smile regularly and have a cheerful demeanor.
