In a recent Gallup poll, only 13 percent of American employees believed that their company’s leaders can effectively communicate with their organization. Knowing how to be a better communicator is key to any relationship. Whether you’re giving direction to staff at the office or arguing with a loved, you use some of the same skills to effectively give and receive messaging.
Effective communication is not a skill that you learn overnight. If you want to know more about what makes a good communicator, read these eight quick tips.
How to Be a Better Communicator in 8 Quick Steps
Communication in relationships is all about connecting with others to share information or solve problems. Try out some of these ideas and you’ll see your relationships improve and needless arguments avoided.
1. Listen
If you want to become a better communicator, work on becoming a better listener. Don’t approach every conversation with the sole purpose to just speak. As the conversation progresses, listen, respond and merge your thoughts with your responses. Your conversation partner will be more willing to listen to you if you show them you’re willing to listen to them.
2. Ask Questions
A good way to prove that you’re a good listener is to ask questions. It will show your conversation partner that you understand what they’re saying. Asking questions will also alleviate any misunderstandings that might happen down the road.
This skill is especially important for leaders in the workplace. Effective leaders can show their teams that they heard and understand their input. Repeat a team member’s idea back to them to confirm your understanding and then share your own perspective to promote further conversation.
3. Pick a Good Time to Talk
Group conversations are especially challenging when you have something important to say. Everyone else is working hard to make sure their voice is heard, just like you are. Select gaps or pauses in a conversation so that you know you have everyone’s attention and can deliver your message without being interrupted.
4. Keep Your Answers Short
Keep your answers short when you are in group discussions. Direct succinct answers will help you get your points across and keep your listeners’ attention in the process. Long-winded answers will only lose your audience in a fog of disinterest.
Really concentrate on what you’re trying to say and how you can say it in the briefest sense possible. You’re more likely to be perceived as a valuable contributor if you make an effort to organize your thoughts and convey them as briefly as you can. You’ll also gain some loyal listeners in the process if they know you’re capable of keeping your input to the point.
5. Don’t Be the Person Who Has to Have the Last Word
You can recognize these people in a conversation immediately. One speaker summarizes the collective thoughts of the group. Then another speaker will repeat the same summary over again for no apparent reason. This same speaker does this for every attempt to close a conversation topic.
Don’t be this annoying person. If you have new or unique information to contribute, then share it in the conversation. If your needs and those of the group have been adequately addressed, then leave it alone.
You’ll find that it’s easy to tune out those people who make comments on almost any situation or point. If you make these knee-jerk comments as well, you’re going to get the same response from the others in the group. Be that person who rarely speaks up and you’ll catch everyone’s attention when you have something to say.
6. Cut the Trivialities
When you have a small window of time to speak, be sure to get to the point and ask for what you want. Anyone who uses valuable group discussion time to deliver long-winded speeches will lose the group’s support and attention. You also risk slowing the group’s progress towards the end goal, as well.
7. Watch Your Body Language
Be mindful of your body language. Are you squirming or frowning? Your words may sound confident, but if your body language expresses a bad mood, your audience will pick up on it.
The best expression you can bring to any conversation is to smile as you speak. Be sure to nod as others reply to you. Smiling will show your listeners that you’re approachable as well as help you change your attitude.
8. Learn the Ins and Outs of Virtual Communication
Business communications in today’s global workforce no longer mean just in-person conversations. Companies rely on technology now, more than ever, to communicate with its workforce when they can’t meet face to face. Effective communicators need to grasp today’s virtual communication tools to preserve team functionality.
Video chats and conferencing are the tools businesses use to communicate with clients and internal teams. Other tools include instant messaging and Vol protocols. The best way to improve using these technology tools is to practice on a regular basis and integrate them into every employee’s day-to-day responsibilities.
Next Steps
Feel like you know more on how to be a better communicator? Then experiment with some of these tips today.
The next time you are in a business or personal conversation, make sure you’re smiling. Smiling tells the other speaker that you are listening and not waiting impatiently for your turn to talk.
Sprinkle your succinct answers during the pauses throughout a conversation. Ask clarifying questions to show you understand your speaker’s feelings and avoid pointless arguments later.
Don’t forget to check our self-improvement blog to find other helpful ideas on how you can become a new you. “Communication” isn’t only about talking or having conversations. It means deepening your connections with co-workers and the people you love to build greater trust and respect.