The Best Ways to Improve your Communication Skills

May 08, 2014

Effective verbal and non verbal communication skills are important for a successful career and also for winning image in the social platform. Every established company seek for strong communication skills that would help build relationships and aid in persuading clients both national and international.

In this information age, sending, receiving, and processing messages are a vital task. So, it’s no more of exchanging information. The present world demands a confident, authoritative and positive communication ability that will steal the show. It’s not one but a set of skills to be mastered, read through to get an insight of the ways to groom your communication talent.

The Different Modes of Communication Skills

Communication is an essential part of everyday life hence effectively developing it proves to be vital in varied aspects of life including professional, social and personal life. The ability to converse with confidence and accuracy gets you noticed in every sphere. Majorly there are 3 types of conversation skills that you need to master.

Oral Communication

In most workplaces and social platform oral communication is the primary mode of communication. Varied modes such as voice mail, one to one interaction, group discussions, telephonic conversation etc are now more preferred, promoting a healthy ambience. This enables the ability to talk and exchange information thus, fostering co-ordination.

Some of the underlying principles of oral communication are:

  • Clear pronunciation
  • Proper planning
  • Proper knowledge and information
  • Good sentence framing
  • Maintaining eye contact
  • Usage of proper vocabulary
  • Confident and firm
  • Maintaining a personality

Written Communication

In an official or educational sphere written communication skills are also important. Good writing skills enables in successfully connecting with other people and communicating with clarity and ease. You might be asked to write reports, strategies, applications, press releases, newsletters, presentations, blogs, contents, media posts and others. You might also require skills to write an attractive and error free CV or resume that impresses the company authorities. Thus, a good grip over written skills is important that strikes the mind of the reader, having the much needed impact.

Some of the underlying principles of written communication are:

  • Use a professional approach
  • Organize the information accurately
  • Maintain the format
  • Keep track of the grammar and spellings
  • Know the audience and then accurately decide the writing styles
  • Attain expertise in both formal and informal style of writing
  • Maintain the structure and layout
  • Identify the key points. You can use bullets
  • Make it catchy and striking with a strong introduction and conclusion
  • Maintain clarity and simplicity in language

Technology Communication

The modern world is completely dependent on technology with computers, internet, mobiles, smartphones, laptops, ipads, tablets, PDA and others ruling our world. The emails, social media sites, documents, Power Point presentations, Excel, Word, sms, WhatsApp and others all are varied forms of technological communications that requires expertise in handling. The complete world of information can be on your fingertips with accessibility to these. Hence, it’s essential to have the proficiency and comfort level in communicating via these technical things.

Some of the underlying principles of technology communication are:

  • Learn to create documents effectively
  • Make impressive presentations
  • Writing an attractive resume
  • Writing striking, error free language
  • Competent with the keys ob laptop, desktop or mobile
  • High and error free typing speed
  • Ability to use and surf the net
  • Well informed about software and their applications

A Checklist to Improve Your Communication Skills

  • Don’t just hear; listen carefully to the words of the other person. This fosters a strong bond between the speaker and the listener.
  • Build a proper rapport with others, demonstrating respect and admiration for others. This helps build long tern relationship with others
  • Be a patient listener. Never talk over others which reflect lack of interest in the conversation.
  • Maintain eye contact with others which proves your interest. It keeps you focused and attentive helping you to be less distracted
  • Ensure that the other person too has clearly heard you and understood your message
  • If you on telephonic conversation then ensure the line is clear and both can hear each other’s words
  • If it’s an email then read properly the entire content before responding to it. Write in small paragraphs, in simple language that helps in better understanding.
  • Never be biased while you speak, maintain you language decency and keep it simple and short. Also, check your volume.
  • Be aware of the individual differences and observe then keenly while speaking
  • Remain updated with the current state of affairs. You can read newspapers, books, blogs, magazines, watch television that assists in improving your vocabulary hence, making you a confident speaker
  • Understand and empathize with others, trying to understand the matters that are troubling them. Try to motivate and persuade others.
  • Ask questions if the information gained is not clear to avoid any doubts
  • Develop great presentation skills. This requires expertise in the 3 modes of communication. You must have great writing skills to create striking points, awesome oral communication skills to explain in an interesting way the points written to the members present and the technology communication to make and handle the presentation in a smart and confident way that draws the attention of all.
  • Maintaining a positive body language is important for interacting. Create interest while telling your story and keep an optimistic and affirmative attitude. Bring some humor in your conversation.

Communication as an Effective Tool for Career

It has been estimated that 75% of a person’s day is spent in some form of communication. Good communicators need to be articulate and persuasive, and the study of communications helps you attain your preferred job in varied sectors. Some of the rewarding jobs awaiting you are:

  • Content Writing and Editing

Having great writing skills enables you to write books, novels, articles, columns, freelancers etc. You can also be an editor of a publishing house or a magazine industry

  • Advertising 

Advertising copywriters write jingles, brochures, product packaging etc. art directors, designers even create advertising images that help in developing marketing ideas, materials and aid the creative department

  • Public Relations

A public relations specialist also known as media or communications specialist is another probable field. They write press releases, give public statements, act as a spokesperson or organize events.

  • Media Houses

Communicators can work as interviewers, write in newspapers, work in radio industry, press and others. They can also work as news reader or as journalists, news anchors and news analysts.

  • Event Planning

Communicators can work as event planners organizing events like birthday party, a social gathering, press conference, product release part and others.

  • BPO

Good communication skills find importance in customer care services. In BPO jobs confident and interesting communication skills are important to persuade the prospective clients.

  • Sales Job

Communications skills prove vital for salespeople, sales agents or sales representatives

Communication skills are important for a thriving career. Several reputed institutes organize workshops and seminars that teach the useful ways of improving the potential to be a confident speaker. Enroll today in one of them and give your career the boost required.

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