HOW YOU DEVELOP GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication is the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium. …The successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings.

In communication, the sender ‘encodes’ the message, usually in a mixture of words and non-verbal communication. It is transmitted in some way (for example, in speech or writing), and the recipient ‘decodes’ it.

You can improve your communication skills in the following ways

Learn to Listen

One of the most common areas to need improvement is listening.

We all tend to forget that communication is a two-way process. We fall into the trap of ‘broadcasting’, where we just issue a message and fail to listen to the response. Quite a lot of the time, we are not listening to others in conversation, but thinking about what we plan to say next.

Make eye contact.

Whether you are speaking or listening, looking into the eyes of the person with whom you are conversing can make the interaction more successful. Eye contact conveys interest and encourages your partner to be interested in you in return

Emotional Awareness and Management

Another crucial area of communication is awareness of our own and other people’s emotions, and an ability to manage those emotions.

At work, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that everything should be logical, and that emotion has no place. However, we are human and therefore messy and emotional. None of us can leave our emotions at home—and nor should we try to do so. That is not to say that we should ‘let it all hang out’. However, an awareness of emotions, both positive and negative, can improve communication.

Don’t send mixed messages.

Make your words, gestures, facial expressions, and tone match. Disciplining someone while smiling sends a mixed message and is therefore ineffective. If you have to deliver a negative message, make your words, facial expressions, and tone match the message

Use the right words.

If you’re not sure of the meaning of a word, don’t use it. Grab a dictionary and start a daily habit of learning one new word per day. Use it sometime in your conversations during the day.

Questioning

Questioning is a crucial skill to ensure that you have understood someone’s message correctly. It is also a very good way of obtaining more information about a particular topic, or simply starting a conversation and keeping it going. Those with good questioning skills are often also seen as very good listeners because they tend to spend far more time drawing information out from others than broadcasting their own opinions.

To learn more about communication skills, click on any of the links below:

 Developing your Business English Writing and Communication Skills

Communication Strategy for Design and Development

Best Practice in Information and Communication Technology