The importance of good communication was put in a nutshell by self-improvement pioneer Paul J Meyer when he said ” Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.”
This is true in all walks of life but particularly in the workplace. Environments where people not only feel understood but also seek to understand their colleagues can lead to increased productivity, improved morale, and even influence career progression.
On the other hand, being an ineffective communicator in the workplace can leave others feeling frustrated, disengaged, and worse.
For these reasons, we have put together a list of communication skills that if followed will reap rich rewards in your professional career.
Our Essential List of Communication Skills
This list is by no means comprehensive. Instead, we have chosen to focus on the most important communication skills that can be implemented effectively by you today.
1. Be a Good Listener
There isn’t a greater feeling than knowing that the words from your mouth are reaching people’s heads and hearts. We give this feeling to others and gain their respect when we actively listen to their words, rather than thinking of a response.
Show that you are a good listener by maintaining good eye contact and avoiding all possible distractions. Something as simple as checking your phone while someone is talking insinuates that we don’t view the other person as that important.
2. Clear and Concise
Getting big ideas into a few words is a vital skill in an environment where people’s time is at a premium. If we use too many words or mumble then people will tend to disconnect or get frustrated.
If this is our tendency take decisive action. Aim to be well prepared at meetings, being conscious of your speed and volume over the phone, and review emails to remove any redundant words and sentences before sending them.
3. Friendliness
Being known as a friendly person in the workplace will mean that people will want to talk to you, which is half the battle won in being an effective communicator.
A simple smile or asking for someone’s family demonstrates that we have an active interest in each person and can open the door to other receiving our messages with a more invested interest.
4. Become Emotionally Intelligent
Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and control your emotions as well as perceive those of others. All these factors greatly impact what is said and how it is received.
We can all improve in this by picking up non-verbal cues like facial expressions and body language. Be honest with yourself also. For example, could the negative reaction to a request from a colleague be due to your prior mood rather than it being an unreasonable request?
5. Tone
Often it’s not what we say but rather how we say it.
The tone of our voice is what adds color to what we say so it should match the message that we are giving, whether it be friendly or firm.
It is important to recognize that because today most contact is done via emails and other messaging services which lack the non-verbal cues that we take for granted. Therefore pay close attention to what tone your writing transmits to avoid misunderstandings.
Good Communication Starts With You
Having the ability to always get your message across is a gift but not an unattainable one. Make a start by implementing our list of communication skills and you will be sure to see an instant improvement.
To guarantee that your message is always getting across, a communication coach is key. Contact us today to find out the techniques used by the most successful businesses as well as how we can help you to avoid the most common pitfalls in communication.