How To Improve Verbal Communication Skills At Work
Verbal communication shapes how you connect and collaborate at work. You rely on communication to share ideas in meetings, coordinate with coworkers, and solve problems. When communication breaks down, even brief conversations can lead to confusion, delays, or misunderstandings.
Feeling misunderstood after a conversation at work can be frustrating, and it happens more often than you might think. Many professionals find verbal communication challenging, especially when the pressure is high.
Improving your speaking and listening skills takes effort, but the results are worth it. With the right strategies, you can strengthen your communication skills, respond with greater clarity, and increase confidence in your role.
Key Takeaways:
Why Strong Verbal Communication Matters at Work: Clear and effective communication builds trust, supports teamwork, and lowers stress in day-to-day interactions.
What Struggles with Communication Can Look Like: Misunderstandings, unclear tone, frequent interruptions, or avoiding conversations are common signs of communication challenges.
7 Practical Ways to Strengthen Your Communication at Work: Simple habits like speaking at a steady pace, listening with full attention, and asking follow-up questions can make your message clearer and more impactful.
Important Communication Skills for Building a Positive Organizational Culture: Strong verbal and nonverbal communication, active listening, emotional intelligence, and well-crafted written messages all contribute to healthier workplace relationships and a more positive organizational culture.
Why Verbal Communication Skills at Work Matter
Signs You Might Be Struggling With Verbal Communication
How to Come Prepared for Important Conversations
7 Practical Ways To Improve Verbal Communication at Work
Frequently Asked Questions About Verbal Communication at Work
How Connected Speech Pathology Supports Your Workplace Communication
Why Verbal Communication Skills at Work Matter
The way you speak and listen shapes your professional relationships. Clear communication builds trust, keeps teams aligned, and helps daily tasks go more smoothly. When someone takes the time to explain a process clearly and follows up with a quick check-in, it prevents confusion and saves time.
Take Joan, a team lead juggling multiple deadlines. In a meeting, she tells her staff to "make progress on the reports soon." No one asks questions, but everyone walks away with a different idea of what "soon" means. Two days later, nothing is ready. Frustration builds. If Joan had said, "Please send me a draft by Thursday at noon," and checked for understanding, the team would have stayed on track.
Strong verbal skills also help reduce stress. You can speak in meetings without feeling anxious, offer feedback without sounding harsh, and ask for help without fear of judgment. These everyday moments show you are confident and capable. Mastering effective communication skills also makes it easier for others to trust and respect you.
Signs You Might Be Struggling With Verbal Communication
Trouble with verbal communication often shows up in small moments that add up. You might know exactly what you want to say, but something gets lost as you try to put it into words. Over time, these struggles can impact how others perceive you and your level of confidence at work.
Here are a few ways communication difficulties can show up on the job:
Struggling to get your point across
Picture a team meeting where Alex is trying to explain a new idea. He starts talking, but his thoughts jump around, and his main point gets buried. People nod, but no one follows up. Alex walks away, unsure if anyone understood. When speaking under pressure, staying focused on one key message can help keep things clear.
Feeling misunderstood in meetings
You share a comment, but the group moves on quickly or asks you to repeat what you meant. Maybe someone cuts in before you finish, or the reply doesn’t match what you were trying to say. These moments can leave you feeling ignored or off balance.
Getting feedback about unclear directions or tone
Your manager says, “That email sounded a little tense,” or a coworker asks you to explain your instructions again. Even when you mean well, the words or tone you use might send a different message. These comments can feel personal, but they often point to a gap in communication style.
Avoiding conversations or speaking up
You skip check-ins, stay quiet in group settings, or hesitate to bring up concerns. This often comes from fear of saying the wrong thing or being misunderstood. Over time, remaining silent can limit your visibility and hinder your growth.
Missing nonverbal cues or social signals
During a one-on-one, someone crosses their arms or looks away, but you keep talking. You may not notice subtle shifts in tone or facial expressions. Missing these cues can lead to awkward timing or misreading the mood in a conversation.
These patterns may seem small, but they shape how others respond to you. Noticing them is the first step to building stronger, clearer communication.
How to Be a Better Communicator at Work and Everyday Life
Check out our blog on how to be a better communicator for more information!
Understanding Your Audience
Knowing your audience is key to clear and effective communication. Before you speak, take a moment to think about who you’re talking to. Consider their role, experience, and what matters most to them in the conversation.
Imagine you're giving updates to a senior leader who wants results, not backstory. Or explaining a new tool to a coworker who’s brand new to the job. Adjusting your speech involves modifying your tone, pace, and level of detail, which makes a significant difference in how well your message is received.
Understanding your audience also means listening actively and picking up on nonverbal cues. If someone starts checking their watch or leaning back in their chair, they might be overwhelmed or tuning out. A confused look or pause may indicate that you need to slow down or explain something differently. These cues help you know when to clarify, shift your approach, or pause to invite questions.
When you stay present and tuned in to your audience, you create space for connection and clarity. This kind of awareness builds trust and helps your message stick.
How to Come Prepared for Important Conversations
Walking into a meeting without a plan can leave you rambling, off-topic, or unsure of how to respond. Taking time to prepare, even just five minutes, can make your message clearer and your delivery more confident.
Imagine Sam is about to give feedback to a coworker. If he walks in cold, he might stumble over his words or come across as too vague. But if he writes down his main points and considers how his coworker might respond, the conversation is more likely to stay focused and respectful.
Good preparation involves knowing your goal, selecting a few clear points, and considering the other person's perspective. It also helps to plan how you will initiate the conversation and anticipate the questions that might arise.
Developing powerful and persuasive communication is not about memorizing a script. It is about having a clear outline so you can speak with purpose and adjust as the conversation unfolds.
7 Practical Ways To Improve Verbal Communication at Work
Improving your communication skills doesn’t mean changing who you are. It means learning how to connect more clearly with others.
These strategies form the foundation of an effective workplace communication strategy, helping you improve your communication skills, strengthen your verbal communication, and feel more confident in the workplace.
1. Slow Down and Think Before Speaking
Taking a moment before you speak gives your brain time to organize your thoughts.
It helps reduce rambling and off-topic comments that can confuse your audience.
Pausing also helps you stay clear and calm, especially during high-stress conversations or when emotions run high.
2. Practice Active Listening
Being a good communicator means being an active listener as well.
Show interest through nonverbal communication, such as maintaining eye contact and nodding.
Reflect back what you heard to confirm understanding. Try phrases like “So what you're saying is...” to check in.
Avoid interrupting or rushing to respond, and give your full and undivided attention.
3. Use Simple, Clear Language
Overcomplicated speech can create confusion.
Avoid jargon unless you're sure the listener understands your terms.
Break ideas into smaller parts to make your message easier to follow. This helps the intended audience stay engaged and ensures your audience understands your message.
This skill is also important for written communication.
4. Ask Questions to Stay Engaged
Good communication is a two-way exchange.
Asking open-ended questions shows curiosity and helps you get clarity.
It also signals teamwork and makes space for others to share their ideas and feelings.
Even the smallest communication, such as a follow-up question, can demonstrate that you're fully present and paying attention.
5. Check Your Tone and Body Language
How you say something, through your tone and body language, can matter more than the words you use.
Use a friendly tone of voice and keep an open posture to project positive body language.
Be aware of your own nonverbal communication, including facial expressions, gestures, and eye contact. These nonverbal signals can either support or clash with your spoken words.
Stay mindful of how your tone changes under pressure, as it can carry unclear or negative connotations that don’t match what you meant to say.
6. Role-Play or Rehearse Key Conversations
Preparation can make tough conversations easier.
Practice speaking with a trusted colleague, friend, or therapist to work through difficult moments.
This helps when giving constructive criticism, preparing for job interviews, practicing active listening, or learning how to communicate corporate messages with clarity.
Rehearsing can also help you manage your own emotions and speak in a way that invites mutual respect.
7. Get Professional Support When Needed
Sometimes you need more than tips; you need targeted support.
A communication coach can help you improve your communication by addressing your personal challenges and work-related needs.
Support may include fluency, word retrieval, nonverbal communication, or developing effective communication skills for public speaking and workplace conversations.
Working with a professional can help you become a more effective communicator, reduce anxiety, and build a positive work environment.
Communication Coaching Quiz
Take our quiz to find out if communication coaching is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Verbal Communication at Work
1. What is the importance of effective communication skills in the workplace?
Effective communication skills are essential for establishing trust, preventing misunderstandings, and working collaboratively with others.
Clear communication fosters a positive work environment, reduces stress, and enables teams to complete tasks more efficiently. It also plays a critical role in career development by helping you express ideas, lead conversations, and respond to feedback with confidence.
2. Which activity will help you improve your verbal communication skills?
Practicing active listening is one of the most effective ways to enhance communication. By giving others your full and undivided attention, using eye contact, and reflecting back what you hear, you become more aware of how conversations flow.
Other helpful activities include role-playing conversations, rehearsing presentations, and working with a speech-language pathologist to strengthen specific skills, such as tone, clarity, or body language.
3. What are the best practices for verbal communication?
Best practices include slowing down your speech, using simple language, and being aware of nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions and body language.
It’s also important to adjust your communication style to fit your audience and maintain eye contact during conversations. Asking open-ended questions, using a friendly tone, and following up when needed help you communicate effectively and respectfully.
How Connected Speech Pathology Supports Your Workplace Communication
At Connected Speech Pathology, we help adults refine their communication skills for professional success. Everyone has a unique style, shaped by their background, personality, and work experience. That is why our approach is always personalized to fit your goals and your job environment.
We support professionals across various fields, including healthcare, education, technology, and retail. In virtual one-on-one sessions, we focus on the skills that matter most to you. That might mean speaking more clearly, using body language that matches your message, or listening in a way that helps others feel heard.
We also help with written communication, social interaction strategies, and managing stress during tough conversations. Some clients come to us for support with job interviews or leadership roles. Others want to contribute more in team meetings or build a positive organizational culture where people feel safe to speak up.
Whatever your goal, we’re here to help you grow into a more confident, thoughtful communicator.
Summary
Enhancing your verbal and written communication skills at work can make your day-to-day life easier and strengthen your relationships. These changes don’t happen overnight, but small steps lead to lasting growth.
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.
