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“Good communication skills”. This is what most of us write under the skills section of our CV
Some say good communication means how well we are able to speak a language while others believe it’s the way we use verbal and non-verbal cues to express ourselves.
But the question is- do we know what good communication exactly means? How can we improve these skills?
First of all, what is effective communication and why is it important?
Effective communication is being able to clearly explain oneself to others while also actively listening. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one ability or method that can help us become better communicators.
It enables you to effectively convert your objectives and sentiments into signals that are simple to grasp. It also helps us become more productive workers and experience fewer unexpected effects as a result of effective communication. Having good communication improves our ability to comprehend what others are saying and increases the ability to work with others in a team.
How to improve our communication skills?
Practice active listening: In order to demonstrate that we are paying attention, active listening entails responding positively to what others say and following up with questions.
Focus on Non-verbal communication: Understanding nonverbal signs and signals might help us avoid misunderstandings and show others that we are interested in them. When conversing with someone in a business context, be mindful of the body language and facial emotions. The nonverbal clues have an impact on how someone perceives us first. When meeting someone for the first time, maintaining eye contact, keeping hand movements to a minimum, and having decent posture all help.
Manage emotions: It's crucial to control our emotions and express them correctly in a situation to promote clear communication and wellness. Strong feelings which are unnecessarily allowed to enter a work environment can cause poor communication and conflict.
Ask for feedback: It's OK to request frank criticism on our communication abilities from co-workers. We may better understand how we come across in the work environment by asking our colleagues or subordinates for their suggestions on how to improve our communication abilities. Develop an openness to hearing different perspectives so we may build stronger bonds with the employees.
Practice public speaking: Although it may seem intimidating, finding opportunities to speak in public is the best method to improve our communication abilities. Whether speaking to a huge audience or a single individual in person, effective communicators are able to express their thoughts with clarity. Speaking in front of a group on a regular basis can highlight our communication skills and expose any deficiencies we may have.
Developing a sense of empathy: Being an excellent communicator requires us to be able to comprehend the emotions of others who are close. Understanding and connecting to another person's feelings are two aspects of empathy. The capacity to empathize and possess strong emotional intelligence both help in establishing relationships with others and improve our communication skills.
In a nutshell, good communication is not a piece of cake, it takes time to improve these skills. All we need is consistency, patience, and commitment to grab the tag of ‘good communicator’. Taking baby steps, right from actively listening to making people listen to you requires effort, but if we practice it is not impossible.
-Vaasitha Chava