It all starts here. If you don't truly want to communicate with others, your efforts will be doomed. People are very perceptive and pick up on the smallest clues that you really don't want to be talking with them. (Well, most people that is.) So it starts with truly believing that communication skills are important and you want to acquire them.
2.) Let go of perfection.
Not that any of us are perfectionists......but just in case, you'll have to let go of it with communication. It gets tricky - what worked well with one person may be a disaster with someone else. You're going to make mistakes, maybe even big mistakes. That's how you're going to learn. All you can do is the best you can in each situation.
3.) Pay attention.
This is what matters most in communication. Pay attention to the other person or to the audience. If you are looking at a spreadsheet, you will miss the confusion on the client's face. If you're watching television you will miss your child's hurt look. I believe that most communication mistakes are made because we do not pay attention to the other person. Up to 93% of face-to-face communication is nonverbal. That means you really have to pay attention to tone and body language as well as words to get the whole message. Quit looking at your Blackberry!
4.) Realize what you're saying in addition to the words.
You are always communicating. If you are speaking with clients and you don't smile, look only at your paperwork, and use jargon they don't understand, don't be surprised if you lose their account. If you present to a group and stare only at the Power Point slides and exude the energy of a mortician, don't expect them to be compelled by your words. No leader ever fired up his or her people by reading Power Point slides to them. Good eye contact, gesture and facial expressions are vital for your success.
5.) Create opportunities to communicate.
The great thing about practicing communication is you get instant feedback. (But you have to be paying attention to get it!) If the waitress gets your order wrong, there was a communication error somewhere. If you are in a fight with someone you love, there was a communication error somewhere. If you told a joke and no one laughed, ditto. Pay close attention to these errors and work to understand what went wrong. Communicate more, pay attention to the results and adjust accordingly. Over time you can only improve.
6.) Learn as much as you can about this important skill.
To improve your skills, read a book or listen to an audiotape, sign up for a class or seminar. Communication skills do not come naturally. This is a false belief many people hold. You're either growing or you're dying - I recommend growing.
7.) Ask for feedback - WARNING - this is only for the non-thin skinned.
Ask your family how well you listen. Ask your co-workers or supervisor how well you communicate in meetings or during presentations. Ask for specifics - "was I interesting? Clear? Did I make good eye contact? Do I have any weird gestures? Do I have ANY gestures? Could you tell I was alive?" Tell them you are trying to improve your communication skills and need their input - make it safe for them to respond. Remember - this is only for the non-thin skinned - it's hard to take constructive feedback. And the truth is, if you're paying attention, you get constant feedback about your communication skills. Sadly, most of us aren't paying attention.
8.) Overcome your fear of communicating.
Here's the real deal - most people are more intimidated by YOU than you realize. If you're an introvert you may seem quiet and withdrawn which some people may mistake for arrogance. I know it seems ridiculous, but the more you smile, the less scary you are! Break one out - I swear it doesn't hurt. You shouldn't be afraid of communicating - the biggest thing you should focus on is putting others at ease.
Communication is vital to your success. Improving your communication skills will improve your relationships and make you richer. Treat it like any other professional skill - learn about it, practice it, get better at it. You can't run from it, you can't hide from it, you can't avoid it.
Being able to effectively communicate with others means that you have the capability to receive and relay information, a very important asset considering that information today has become a valued asset.
Being able to communicate effectively means more than just being articulate. Many other factors are required for effective communication. You have to know them in order for you to improve your communication skill.
Good communication skills also rely on having a keen ear aside from having a way with the spoken word. Here are some tips that will be able to help you improve your communication skill.
Effective communication relies on your ability to listen. Being an attentive listener allows you to gather all the information that you can get from a certain conversation. Being an attentive listener also means that you focus on what is being said and make sure that you comprehend the point.
A good way to improve on your comprehension is by learning to get involved in the conversation. Know how to ask questions whenever you think you miss out on a certain point. Try to make use of your other senses during an ongoing conversation. The more you involve your other senses, the more you would stay interested on what is being said.
During conversations, try to respond instead of trying to react. Responding entails the use of your mind before you speak whereas reacting usually involves your emotion. Responding always keeps you in control as you mindfully oversee what you wish to say. Reacting, on the other hand, can let a conversation get out of hand, which is not the aim of effective communication.
The most important tip that you need to do to improve your communication skill is constant practice. Try to participate in as many discussions and social interactions as you can. Try to practice the art of listening as well as contributing to the conversation. As you go along, you will notice a considerable improvement on your communication skills. If there is a lack of possible discussions to participate in, you can always practice on your own friends and family. After all, effective communication can be used in different aspects of your life, be it at work at play. Always remember that effective communication is a way of building relationships.
As you strive to improve your communication skill, you will eventually find success along the way.
Both Denise Ryan & Michael Lee are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Denise Ryan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Energy Healing, Cars and self improvement and motivation. Denise Ryan, MBA, is a Certified Speaking Professional, a designation of excellence held by less than 10% of all professional speakers. She is a blogger