How You Can Improve Your Communication Skills

Communication can determine the kind of relationships you have and how easy it is for you to get things done. There is really nothing humanly that can be done without communication and to be successful you need to be a good communicator. If you are not very good with putting messages across, a few simple tips can help you improve on your skills so you are better in everything you do.

1. Keep it clear and simple – It is good to give details, but you will not be doing much if you end up making things a little too complicated  getting deep into the details. Try as much as possible to keep your word and messages clear and simple so they are easy to understand. Whether you are a parent or a senior at work, keeping instructions simple and clear gets things done as expected.

2. Think before you say anything – When you allow some time to get things in order mentally, you are most likely to get better message delivery. Be organized in your thoughts first before speaking so that what comes out is exactly what you intended and the message gets home.

3. Manage your body language – What most people forget is that how you pose when talking or even  the facial expressions you make when talking to someone can determine how the message gets interpreted. You could be giving a very serious message, but when you are playing with your gestures and expressions, the interpretation can be very different. Pay attention to eye contact, facial expressions, gestures and posture, so they match the message that you are putting across.

4. Listen more – Good listeners make very good speakers so allow yourself to grasp what the other person is saying before making a response. Hearing is very different to listen because you can hear without giving much thought into what is being said, but when you listen, it means you are following what is being said and digesting the message. When you listen more your responses are relevant because you get to know what reactions the other person is expecting on your part.

5. Do not overreact – This is very likely, especially if you are dealing with negative comments from someone or you think you already know what to say about the situation. To be a good communicator, avoid being hasty with your answers or responses and instead take time to carefully analyze what has been said before you say anything. It can actually be a good idea to ask for more time to think things over before you finally give an answer. It is a simple way of avoiding situations where you end up speaking too fast and making statements that have adverse effects that are hard to reverse.

6. Ask for opinions – The worst you can do when talking is to go on and on without involving the thoughts of the people you are talking to. Good communicators should make others part of the conversation by allowing them to air their opinions, so do not forget this in your conversations. 

Communication skills are very important because they can determine how seriously you are taken. Be daring to sharpen your skills and you will be a happier content and successful person in whatever you do.

Source : articlesbase.com