How to Improve Communication Skills: 11 Expert Tips
Clear communication is key to success in all aspects of life. From building strong relationships to advancing your career, improving communication, effectively expressing yourself, and listening actively are skills that can be learned through practice.
While technology has made communication more casual, strong communication skills can still lead to stronger connections, clearer agreements, and a more successful outcome.
Effective communicators can connect with others, build trust, and convey ideas clearly and confidently. This is especially true in leadership roles, where open-mindedness and listening are vital.
Good communication skills are essential in the workplace. Business performance, career development, and professional success start with good interview skills, networking, and the ability to present ideas to colleagues and superiors.
In this article, we provide 11 tips on how to improve communication skills.
Key Takeaways:
Effective communication is a two-way street. It involves both speaking clearly and actively listening. This means paying attention to the underlying message, asking clarifying questions, and showing genuine interest in the conversation.
Speak with confidence, using concise and direct language. Avoid jargon or slang, and ensure your tone and pitch are appropriate for the situation.
Make eye contact, maintain good posture, and use body language that reinforces your message.
Pay close attention to the speaker, ask clarifying questions, and avoid interrupting. This shows respect and ensures you understand the whole message.
What are Effective Communication Skills?
What Do Good Communication Skills Mean?
11 Tips to Improve Your Communication Skills
Interesting Facts and Stats on Communication Skills
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Improve Communication Skills
Personalized Coaching for Professionals with Connected Speech Pathology
What are Effective Communication Skills?
Communication skills are about active listening, sharing thoughts, and conveying information. Active listening involves understanding the underlying message, asking relevant questions, and showing genuine engagement in the conversation. Communicating effectively is crucial in life, business, and the workplace. Communication skills can help you get a better job by helping you stand out from competitors during an interview.
Personal relationships also require good communication skills to ensure effective and efficient interaction between individuals.
What Do Good Communication Skills Mean?
The three main types of communication are verbal (oral), non-verbal, and written.
Engaging in healthy communication involves understanding the four facets of a message and being aware of the different 'ears' through which individuals interpret communication.
Verbal Communication
Effective communication relies on both speaking and listening skills. While verbal communication involves using your own words and sentences to convey an entire message, successful interactions also require you to listen actively.
This means going beyond simply hearing the words spoken. An active listener strives to understand the underlying message, asks clarifying questions, and engages genuinely in the conversation.
Nonverbal Communication
Non-verbal communication means conveying a message from one individual to another via gestures, body language, or facial expressions. Gestures include facial expressions, hand signals, and finger sign language. Non-verbal communication includes posture, staring, eye contact, and head gestures. Facial expressions include smiling or frowning.
Written Communication
We have three categories regarding written communication: non-mediated writing, mediated writing, and electronic writing.
Non-mediated writing is messages that can be read or heard directly from the sender, such as letters, notes, books, etc. Mediated writing includes blogs and forums where feedback is not immediate because one must respond to a comment posted by another individual for the message to reach the intended recipient.
Electronic communication includes instant messaging, emails, and texting. Digital communication has limitations and pitfalls, such as misinterpretation, absence of nonverbal cues, and lack of personal touch in establishing connections.
11 Tips to Improve Your Communication Skills
Delivering a message is essential for effective communication as it determines how well a recipient will understand and react to the information being conveyed by the sender.
You must incorporate the following elements if you want your message to be heard clearly and understood correctly.
1. Have a Positive Attitude
Being open-minded and having a positive attitude is essential to good communication. Instead of asking yourself what's in it for you, you should ask yourself how to help this person. Understanding and managing your own feelings is crucial for effective communication and empathy towards others.
What information do they need to achieve their goal? How can we work together successfully? Speaking with an open mind will help you remain receptive to new ideas and facilitate the conversation.
2. Get to the Point Efficiently
A big mistake people make is failing to get to the point. It makes conversation and interviews difficult for everyone involved. The ability to communicate effectively using the fewest words possible can help you in many ways, such as winning a job or expanding contacts.
The two crucial elements for effective communicators are clarity and brevity. Speak clearly and straightforwardly, without ambiguity or vagueness in your statements.
It is essential to speak using short sentences, directly from the point, and ensure your audience understands every word. Avoid jargon or slang as they may not be familiar to people you speak with.
3. Be Aware of Your Tone and Pitch
Your tone of voice can either make or break a good impression. Tone and intonation can make a compelling message appear sarcastic, rude, or pleasant. This is why you should be mindful of your tone and use an appropriate one to communicate effectively.
Raise and lower your vocal pitch as in a conversation with a new individual. Your voice communicates anger, frustration, and impatience. Be aware of how your tone and pitch convey enthusiasm, attentiveness, or boredom.
The tone of voice also helps you control feelings like interruption, anxiety, and nervousness resulting from imprecise communication. Use good breath support to project your voice to sound more confident. Speaking in a monotone voice with an indifferent tone can also cause interruptions and misunderstandings.
4. Avoid Vague Language
Using the right tone, pitch, and vocabulary can help develop effective communication, as can choosing your words carefully. The words we choose can either strengthen or weaken a message. Words with double meanings should be avoided as they tend to be misinterpreted easily.
5. Speak Clearly
Clear speech is the most critical element of effective communication. Ensure that your spoken words always come across clearly and aren't muffled due to a lack of enunciation or clarity. Work on improving the rhythm of your speech by following along with a recording of your voice.
Practice reading out loud so that you become aware of the words you use and the inflections in your voice. Self-awareness will help you achieve clear communication.
Work on articulating each word so you can enunciate and pronounce it clearly. Speaking slowly can be helpful in this situation, as it gives you more time to choose your words carefully.
6. Be Aware of Body Language
Using nonverbal cues, such as hand gestures, can help you improve your communication skills. The majority of nonverbal communication is conveyed via body language and facial expressions.
Proximity, eye contact, and posture are potent forms of nonverbal communication that should not be left out when communicating with others. If you are communicating during virtual meetings, be aware that your body language matters and can significantly impact your partner's perception of your communication style.
7. Make Eye Contact
Ensure you maintain eye contact to keep your listener engaged and active. Eye contact shows that you are paying attention and listening to what the other person is saying.
It can also help you gauge if your listener is having difficulty understanding the point or comprehending a specific part of your message and if they are engaging, fully present, and actively listening.
If you are using teleconferencing, do not look down at the keys or around the room when speaking, and do not check your phone while conversing.
Being on your phone when talking with someone else is disrespectful, as it may indicate that listening to the person speaking isn't important at the time.
8. Improve Your Active Listening Skills
One of the most basic yet important communication skills is active listening. Communicate with others effectively by being an active listener. By listening actively and asking relevant questions, you can prevent miscommunication.
When things are unclear, asking for clarification allows your dialogue partner to state their point or offer additional information on a particular topic. Paying attention to the person you are communicating with is another way of being an active listener.
Listening attentively, especially when your partner talks about something personal or intimate, shows you care and respect what they say.
9. Maintain Good Posture
Good posture is another essential way of using non-verbal communication skills. Confidence can contribute to making an excellent first impression, especially when meeting people for the first time.
Practice good posture and ask yourself if you are effectively using the space around you to convey a message that is congruent with your attitude of confidence.
10. Eliminate Filler Words and Hedging Words
Picking the correct vocabulary can mean the difference between conveying an authentic message and creating confusion in your listeners' minds. Using clear, precise, and meaningful words is an effective communication tool. The point is to convey a clear message with universally understood words.
Examples of filler words include: "like," "um," "you know," and so forth. These words can distract the listener, who has to stop and figure out what you are trying to say. You want your message to carry some weight, so throw in a meaningful word or two, not filler words.
Hedging words are words like "I think," "I believe," "maybe." These words should be eliminated as much as possible because they cause the listener to question your ability to state facts.
Your message should be clear and precise, so avoid using hedging words in your speech. When possible, use action verbs instead of adverbs.
11. Be Confident
Communicative confidence means conveying your intended message without hesitation. It can be expressed both verbally and nonverbally.
Good communicators can speak spontaneously with assurance and authority, comfortable in their abilities to express themselves. Communication confidence relies on several factors that revolve around technique and quality of content. There are different ways that you can appear confident when speaking. They are:
Be aware of your posture, and stand up straight.
Slow down! Don't speak faster than you are thinking.
Pause when speaking to allow time to collect yourself.
Focus on the audience and those looking back at you while speaking. This way, you can look for cues to determine if you are not easily understood.
Repeat your key points as a way to organize your thoughts before speaking.
Pay attention to the details and make sure that you articulate them well.
Don't come across as overly confident. It's mostly about how comfortable you feel and letting your true self shine through.
Interesting Facts and Stats on Communication Skills
Research says 7% of communication is verbal, 55% is body language, and 38% is tone and inflection.
More than 80% of Americans think that effective employee communication can help employers build trustworthy relationships with their employees (Slideshare, 2020).
98% of top salespeople believe a relationship is essential in generating new business. (Salesforece.com, 2021)
57% of recruiters say there will be a growth in demand for interpersonal skills over the next five years (MBA.com, 2021)
Companies lose an average of $62.4 million per year because of miscommunications among employees. (SHRM, 2020)
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Improve Communication Skills
1. What are the most important aspects of verbal communication?
Speak directly and avoid filler words like "um" or "like." Choose your words carefully, avoiding jargon or slang everyone might not understand.
2. How can I improve my body language for better communication?
Maintaining good posture and making eye contact are essential. These nonverbal cues show confidence and engagement in the conversation. Additionally, hand gestures can help emphasize your points, but be mindful of overdoing them.
3. How does emotional intelligence (EQ) relate to communication skills?
Strong communication skills are a key component of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence allows you to understand your own emotions and those of others. This can help you tailor your communication style to the situation and build stronger relationships. For example, being aware of someone's emotional state might influence your tone or the topics you discuss.
4. What is the quickest and most effective way to improve communication?
There's no single shortcut, but focusing on active listening can yield significant results quickly. Pay close attention to the speaker, ask clarifying questions, and avoid interrupting. This shows respect and ensures you understand the message. You'll naturally become more attuned to effective communication techniques by actively listening.
Personalized Coaching for Professionals with Connected Speech Pathology
Communicating with integrity, clarity, and confidence is essential to becoming an effective communicator. Effective communication skills are crucial in building and maintaining positive professional relationships with colleagues and clients.
At Connected Speech Pathology, our communication coaches can help you improve your public speaking skills and achieve your dream of becoming a better communicator.
Our communication coaches can provide honest feedback and discreet instruction to improve your interpersonal relationships and help you with your written, visual, and presentation skills.
We can show you how to improve nonverbal communication skills and use effective verbal communication to perform job interviews or succeed in important presentations.
We will provide access to exercises, materials, and more tips, including personalized feedback tailored to help you improve your communication skills and achieve the best possible outcomes.
Learn more about the communication coaching offered by our highly experienced speech-language pathologists. We would love to help you achieve your goals. Contact us today for a free consultation!
Summary
This article equips you with actionable tips to elevate your communication skills to allow you to win over colleagues, strengthen relationships, and land that dream job. From mastering active listening to wielding powerful nonverbal cues, explore strategies to become a clear, confident communicator in any situation.
Effective communication is a journey, not a destination. So, put these tips into practice and watch your communication skills flourish!
About the Author
Allison Geller is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the owner of Connected Speech Pathology. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida in Speech-Language Pathology. Allison has practiced speech therapy in a number of settings including telepractice, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and private practice. She has worked extensively with individuals across the lifespan including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adults. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders including receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, brain injury, and swallowing disorders.
Allison served as the clinical coordinator of research in aphasia in the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She is on the Board of Directors for the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN), a Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) certified clinician, and a proud Family Empowerment Scholarship/Step-Up For Students provider. Allison is passionate about delivering high quality-effective treatment remotely because it’s convenient and easy to access. What sets us apart from other online speech therapy options is—Allison takes great care to hire the very best SLPs from all over the country.
