Effective communication does not mean just talking. An effective communication is the one where information is exchanged so that everyone gets something important and useful out of the conversation. We come across many people who love speaking so much that they would not give us a chance to speak a word. One reason for such behaviour is that they are not aware of the way to communicate. They might be unclear that communication is almost 90% non-verbal. This implies that talking is only a tiny part to get better results by communication.
The ability of effective communication is fundamental at the workplace. You may be a manager who needs to communicate with employees, or you may be an individual wanting to improve professional and interpersonal skills, but what you need is getting the right message to people so as to make good relations and grow in your career.
Think about the communication style you have: Do you talk more or listen more? Having the appropriate type of communication skills means ability to deal with different kind of people.
We generally spend a lot of time in speaking and ignore a vital element of effective communication: listening. If we give time in listening to someone carefully, we can learn so much. We understand others better and avoid misunderstandings.
Here are some great tips you can use to improve your communication skills:
1. Being aware of your interaction with others helps in improving your communication skills. Identify the situations that make you uncomfortable and bring changes in your behaviour to achieve positive results.
2. Listen more, talk less. Not just listening, but active listening is important.
3. Understanding the other person or the audience can make it simpler to avoid making mistakes. Try to connect a person so that they come in level with you. Never try to rule a conversation.
4. Allow others to express themselves or to say what they want. Give them the space to do so.
5. Stay to avoid the questions that lead the conversation in a particular direction or just have a yes or no answer.
6. Give a positive feedback wherever necessary. This may make a difference to the conversation.
7. Avoid jargon. Filling a conversation with acronyms and such words can cause the listener to lose interest and respect for you. Keep your communication language simple and understandable.
8. Find the Correct Tone for Nonverbal Communications & E-Mails. Be careful while writing e-mails because if you choose an incorrect tone, it may give rise to many misunderstandings. Read the 3-4 times before sending.