Communication skills.. They are such a huge part of your personality. You speak in public, with clients, on stage, in a relationship, with family, in community, literally from the time you wake up verbal or non-verbal communication skills are a must have and has a bigger role in creating an impression so, how effective do you think you are! Do people always listen to what you’re saying, Do they respond to you as you expect them to, Do you command attention when you speak or do they completely misinterpret your intentions.. Because there are so many ways we can miscommunicate that makes effective communication skills so much more important that it should be a subject taught at all levels of education but it isn’t. So, if you’re looking to brush up on your communication skills, here are my 8 tips on how I get more accomplished and effectively with just simple communication skills.
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#1. Timing - Notice how you’re glued to a 90 minute stand-up comedy show or a certain speech but your attention is not the same in every conversation now it is because these stand-up comedians or speakers have mastered the art of timing. All great communicators are able to feel out of their audience and determine when to move to a new topic or when to re-state and introduce a new idea. I learned that if it applies to public speakers, it applies to my everyday conversation too. Timing yourself also means not speaking to fast, when you speak at a slightly lower pace you create curiosity and interest.
#2. Positive Answers - Find positive answers to your typical everyday questions. When you’re asked how are you is your answer, “yeah! Hanging in” or is it, “terrific! Couldn’t be better” when you say either of these you pass on that kind of energy. A positive communication makes you look forward to having a coffee or a meeting with that person.
#3. Speaking Extempore - Get comfortable speaking extempore. Write down a series of eight to ten points or topics you intend to discuss but do not memorise what you want to say word-for-word now this method of communicating allows lawyers presenting a case to cover all the necessary points while giving them flexibility as to how to communicate based on audience reactions. Make your conversation impactful and short.
#4. Listening - People who have the ability to really listen to someone can actually answer questions in a meaningful way. So, it’s really important. The best communicators are almost always the best listeners. Listen without judgment and don’t be distracted by thinking about what you want to say next. Then, respond, not react.
#5. Know your audience - To communicate effectively it is important to get to know your audience first. Each audience is different and will have different preferences and cultural norms that should be considered when you’re communicating. Now, a good way to understand expectations is to ask a few questions to the members of the audience. Take the conversation in a direction that they will enjoy talking about and open up more to you.
#6. Act - We all act. Don’t let your mood dictate how your meeting will go if you decide to act like you’re having the best day of your life, your mind will very well follow what your body is trying to dictate. Also, set your body language according to the audience just like the tone of your verbal language change the body language too. Watch for visual signs that your listener understands, agrees or disagrees with your message.
#7. Tone - Anything you say can sound completely different with the tone you use to convey your message. Sometimes people talking in this stiff tone don’t realise that they are sounding rude and nor do they have any intention to be rude because they have not considered making a few of these changes to their communication skills. They can very easily offend people and not know why the other person doesn’t like them.
#8. Use Your Phone - Your phone can actually help you immensely to improve your communication skills. Record a video of yourself in a mock conversation see if your body language matches your speech. Create voice memos to listen to how you sound. Do you use pauses like, “umm” or are you too fast when you speak? How’s your pitch? Consider injecting some sort of novel event in your presentation now, this could be something funny or something that simply catches people by surprise but makes you sound very interesting. With a little conscious effort and attention to the way you communicate, you’ll quickly become more accomplished in your daily communications.
After all, with strong communication skills, you’ll master the art of having difficult conversations,make your ideas heard, negotiate a salary increase or promotion skillfully, and make a strong impression on everyone you meet. If you enjoyed this post, please share with friends! And be sure to follow on Instagram - @live.boldandbloom Let’s take this journey together! Your support is greatly appreciated!
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