7 Effective Ways To Improve Your Communication Skills

A leader is not just someone who has been bestowed with the topmost position. In reality, he knows how to convince and motivate his team regularly. To become a person with leadership traits, therefore, you must know how to communicate effectively. However vital, these communication skills are not taught as part of your curriculum. You gain insights over a period, and that could mean a loss of precious time.

Here are some effective ways to improve your communication skills.

1. Be Very Clear

When you are heading a team, you will have to deal with all kinds of people. So you have to use words that most of them understand. That means if there are people of different linguistic backgrounds, you should choose a language everyone understands.

Avoid using flashy language that nobody would be able to comprehend. Decide what you wish to convey and focus on the choice of words. Do not repeat the exact words until it is very critical.

2. Do Your Homework

If you start talking without being prepared, your words will lose any meaning. They won’t have any sense of direction, and the audience won’t pay heed. Do your research work and include information that would add weightage to what you are saying.

For instance, if you are going for a class discussion. You should have rehearsed all the important points in advance. Before you begin any conversation, think of any potential questions, doubts, and clarifications you might need.

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3. Pay Attention To The Non-Verbal Cues

We always think that communication is all about the words that we use. Our facial expressions, mannerisms, gestures, and overall body language are critical too. If you are a manager, you have to be careful not to offend others. Plus, knowing how others are reacting to your words is also something you must know.

This means that an employee could voice his dissent with his posture and locked hands pose. Even if you disagree with his views, you must show that you care. Monitor your non-verbal cues as well. Your teammates would misunderstand your stance and take it in the wrong sense.

4. Note Your Tone

The tone you use while talking can add weight to your conversation or bring it down. A carefully chosen word with a positive meaning is going to increase the trust people have in you. On the flip side, a harsh tone can intimidate the person and create unnecessary misunderstanding.

This tone holds importance in written communication. Never write anything in a hurry, as we tend to use rash words while doing so. Read your written communication again to ensure you are not crossing a line anywhere.

5. Be An Active Listener

Communication goes two ways. If you want others to listen to you, then first have the capacity to listen. Any conversation is successful only when it moves two ways. Wait for the other person to finish, and then offer your suggestions. Unfortunately, being an active listener is tough. Be patient and avoid getting distracted, which leads to losing the train of thought.

6. Focus On Your Emotional Intelligence

Effective communication needs strong emotional intelligence to sustain. Until you understand your own feelings, you cannot express them to others. A leader with a high level of emotional intelligence would be able to connect better with his teammates.

Yet another aspect of emotional intelligence is showing empathy. Often you have to deliver some bad news to the employees. If you are emphatic enough, you will know how to present it. Your manner of handling the situation would give you the support that your employee needs.

7. Develop A Filter

Often we blurt out everything that comes to our mind. However, this inability to control our words hampers our communication tactics. Effective communicators also know how to express themselves without losing focus. Know when to stop and impose a filter to only provide sensible information.

Summing Up

These days there is a growing need to communicate well, whether it is in the workplace or at a personal level. Adopting the above methods could ace your game and learn how to express what is in your heart. With time you will understand what works best, and then nobody could match up when it comes to putting your thoughts across.