3 great ways to develop your communication skills. Being able to convey efficiently and confidently ideas to others is a skill. It is a sought-after skill.
That is why people seek ways to build effective communication. Communication is a crucial skill to acquire if you want to succeed. It can sometimes make or destroy relationships.
People communicate everywhere with partners, friends, family members, colleagues…., but few really know the art of communication.
Communication basically shapes our lives. The way that people communicate is more important than what they communicate. There are many types of communication, but the most significant methods are verbal and non-verbal.
You can say something verbally, but your body language says something else. You might have some great ideas to pass on, but you lack the communication skills to efficiently do so.
Fortunately, you can learn to communicate and improve your skills by following the following tips.
1# Be prepared for what you are communicating:
- Plan in advance the things you want to communicate, write them down and be familiar with the structure of what you want to communicate.
- Speak slowly. It is best to take your time and do it right. You will be able to keep up and easily remember your plan.
- Play with your voice; make better use of it. You can, for example, use hesitation, emphasising one sentence.
- If it is a presentation, make pauses, and ask questions to ensure you are being understood.
- Ask questions of the listeners,
- You can integrate some visual aids to make your presentation stand out.
2# Know how to handle your voice tone
If you want to develop your communication skills, knowing and controlling your body language and voice tone is crucial. Those could contradict what you are verbally saying.
The tone you use to ask or to answer someone is essential. You can be denied something just because of your voice tone. You can even make enemies because you are using the wrong voice tone.
Learn how to fluctuate your voice tone accordingly to the situation. A friendly, pleasant, confident, calm voice can make a huge difference.
It can make you lovable and approachable, therefore effective for good communication.
3# Know how to control your body language
Body language is significant in any communication; it is just huge. Many people give the wrong signals without realising them when communicating. They say something, but their body language means something else.
Their words and voice tone may be telling one thing, but their body is saying something entirely different. It is said that nonverbal always speaks louder than verbal.
Be mindful of the way you gesture, the way you look, your eyes expressions, your mouth, the way you stand or move… and much more.
Otherwise, you could be misunderstood or not taken seriously. Some of those body languages occurs at a subconscious level;
you are not sometimes aware of them. So, to take precautions, it is a good idea to ask for feedback from others.
