10 Ways to Improve Your

Communication Skills
Posted to: Career+Work
Topics: Professional Development
3.5 of 5
Years ago, The Conference Board of Canada, an independent, not-for-profit
applied research organization, developed the Employability Skills 2000+, which
lists the critical skills that employees need to succeed in the workplace.
Communication skills, tops the list of fundamental skills needed to succeed in
the workplace. A decade-and-a-half later, with the rise of social media
networking and texting, communication is becoming more casual, even in
situations where more formal ways of communicating are required. What this
means is that people from the younger generation, may not know or even
understand the importance of effective communication skills in the workplace.
When you take a look at the greatest leaders, one of the traits they possess, is
the ability to communicate effectively, which underscores the importance of
communication skills.

There are specific things to do that can improve your communication skills:

1. Listen, listen, and listen. People want to know that they are being heard.
Really listen to what the other person is saying, instead of formulating your
response. Ask for clarification to avoid misunderstandings. At that moment, the
person speaking to you should be the most important person in your life.
Another important point is to have one conversation at a time. This means that if
you are speaking to someone on the phone, do not respond to an email, or send
a text at the same time. The other person will know that she doesn’t have your
undivided attention.

2. Who you are talking to matters. It is okay to use acronyms and informal
language when you are communicating with a buddy, but if you are emailing or
texting your boss, “Hey,” “TTYL” or any informal language, has no place in your
message. You cannot assume that the other person knows what the acronym
means. Some acronyms have different meanings to different people, do you
want to be misunderstood? Effective communicators target their message based
on who they are speaking to, so try to keep the other person in mind, when you
are trying to get your message across.

3. Body language matters. This is important for face-to-face meetings and

video conferencing. Make sure that you appear accessible, so have open body
language. This means that you should not cross your arms. And keep eye contact
so that the other person knows that you are paying attention.

4. Check your message before you hit send. Spell and grammar checkers are
lifesavers, but they are not foolproof. Double check what you have written, to
make sure that your words are communicating the intended message.

5. Be brief, yet specific. For written and verbal communication, practice being
brief yet specific enough, that you provide enough information for the other
person to understand what you are trying to say. And if you are responding to an
email, make sure that you read the entire email before crafting your response.
With enough practice, you will learn not to ramble, or give way too much
information.

6. Write things down. Take notes while you are talking to another person or
when you are in a meeting, and do not rely on your memory. Send a follow-up
email to make sure that you understand what was being said during the
conversation.

7. Sometimes it’s better to pick up the phone. If you find that you have a lot to
say, instead of sending an email, call the person instead. Email is great, but
sometimes it is easier to communicate what you have to say verbally.

8. Think before you speak. Always pause before you speak, not saying the first
thing that comes to mind. Take a moment and pay close attention to what you
say and how you say it. This one habit will allow you to avoid embarrassments.

9. Treat everyone equally. Do not talk down to anyone, treating everyone with
respect. Treat others as your equal.

10. Maintain a positive attitude and smile. Even when you are speaking on the
phone, smile because your positive attitude will shine through and the other
person will know it. When you smile often and exude a positive attitude, people
will respond positively to you.
Communicating effectively is a teachable skill, therefore following a few of the
tips outlined above, will enable you to hone up on your communication skills.
Top 10 Ways to Improve Your
Communication Skills
Melanie Pinola
6/14/14 11:00am

1.7M
3844

Effective communication is one of the most important life skills we can learn—yet
one we don’t usually put a lot of effort into. Whether you want to have better
conversations in your social life or get your ideas across better at work, here are
some essential tips for learning to to communicate more effectively.

10. Watch Your Body Language

You tell your partner you’re open to discussion but your arms are crossed; say
you’re listening but haven’t looked up from your phone yet. Our non-verbal and
non-written cues often reveal more than we think they do. Whether it’s how you
make eye contact or how you hold yourself during a video interview, don’t forget
that you’re constantly communicating even when you’re not saying a word. One
strange way to tap into your body for better communication? Think about your
toes. Or adopt a power pose if you need to boost your confidence before a big talk.
Or learn how to read other people’s body language so you can respond
appropriately.
How to Read Body Language More Effectively

Body language is a huge part of how we communicate with other people. However,
most of us only have …

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9. Get Rid of Unnecessary Conversation Fillers

Um’s and ah’s do little to improve your speech or everyday conversations. Cut
them out to be more persuasive and feel or appear more confident. One way is to
start keeping track of when you say words like “um” or “like.” You could also
try taking your hands out of your pockets or simply relaxing and pausing before
you speak. Those silences seem more awkward to you than they do to others,
trust us.

How Can I Avoid Filler Words Like "Um" When I Talk?

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and …

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8. Have a Script for Small Talk and Other Occasions

Small talk is an art that not many people have mastered. For the inevitable,
awkward silences with people you hardly know, it helps to have a plan.
The FORD (family, occupation, recreation dreams) method might help you come
up with topics to discuss, and you can also turn small talk into conversation by
sharing information that could help you and the other person find common
ground. Hey, all that small talk could make you happier in the long run.
How Can I Turn Small Talk Into a Conversation?

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conversation and…

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7. Tell a Story

Stories are powerful. They activate our brains, make presentations suck less,
make us more persuasive, and can even help us ace interviews. Learn the secrets
of becoming a phenomenal storyteller with these rules from Pixar or by
simply using the word “but” more to structure your narrative. Everyone’s got at
least one great story in them.

The Science of Storytelling: Why Telling a Story is the Most

Powerful Way to Activate Our Brains

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that? When…

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6. Ask Questions and Repeat the Other Person

Let’s face it, we’ve all drifted off when someone else was talking or misheard the
other person. Asking questions and repeating the other person’s last few
words shows you’re interested in what they say, keeps you on your toes, and helps
clarify points that could be misunderstood (e.g., “So to recap, you’re going to buy
the tickets for Saturday?”).
It also helps for small talk and to fill in awkward silences. Instead of trying to stir
up conversation on mundane topics like the weather, ask the other person
questions (e.g., “Got any plans for the summer?” or “What are you reading
lately?”) and engage in their answers. It’s more important to be interested than to
be interesting.

Don't Make Small Talk, Ask Questions Instead

Small talk is pretty tough, both in practice and in principle. No one likes pointless
conversation, …

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5. Put Away the Distractions

It’s pretty rude to use your phone while someone’s talking to you or you’re
supposed to be hanging out with them. Maybe we can’t get rid of all our
distractions or put away technology completely, but just taking the time to look
up could vastly improve our communication with each other.

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social downsides…

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4. Tailor Your Message to Your Audience
The best communicators adjust how they talk based on whom they’re speaking
to; you’d probably use a different style of communication with co-workers or your
boss compared to when you’re speaking with your significant other, kids,
or elders. Always try to keep the other person’s perspective in mind when you try
to get your message across.

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3. Be Brief Yet Specific

There’s actually a BRIEF acronym—Background, Reason, Information, End,

Follow-up—to help you keep your emails short without leaving anything out. It’s
a good policy for both writtena nd verbal communication (I’ve always felt that my
job as a writer was to clearly get the point across and then get off the page as soon
as possible. Just two more items on this list!) Clear and concise are two of the 7
Cs of communication, along with concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and
courteous.

Remember the 7 Cs to Communicate More Effectively

Your day is most likely filled with constant communication. Weblog Mind Tools
offers a…

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2. Up Your Empathy
Communication is a two-way street. If you practice taking the opposing
viewpoint, you can reduce the difficulty and anxiety that sometimes arises when
trying to truly communicate with others. (For example, knowing what your
significant other really means when she says she’s too tired to talk.) Developing
empathy helps you better understand even the unspoken parts of your
communication with others, and helps you respond more effectively.

Why Empathy Is Your Most Important Skill (and How to Practice

It)

TL;DR: Empathy is the most important skill you can practice. It will lead to greater
success…

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1. Listen, Really Listen

Finally, going hand-in-hand with most of the points above, the best thing you can
do to improve your communication skills is to learn to really listen—to pay
attention and let the other person talk without interrupting. It’s hard work, we
know, but “A good conversation is a bunch of words elegantly connected with
listening.” Then, even if your communication styles don’t match, at least you’re
both working off the same page. And hopefully the other person will be
attentively listening to you too.