A person can present many talents at their place of work, but without proper communication skills it can be difficult to progress within a company. Improving communication skills at work does not require any special talent or gift. What it does require is the proper mindset and the effort to apply what you have learned to the work environment.
What follows are 12 steps that you can take to bolster your communication skills. Of the 12 steps available, 8 are things that you can employ right now.
The other 4 will require some outside help to make it work. The steps will cover presentations, written and oral communications, how to manage conflicts, and more.
Know What You Want to Achieve
It’s one thing to say you want to improve your communication skills, it’s another to know what direction to take. The first step should be research. Find the people that you admire for their communication skills and work to understand how they are so successful.
This can be someone that you work with directly or perhaps someone famous for their communication abilities. In any case, you should make notes of their attributes which includes the following.
– What makes that person stand out in communicating with others?
– How do they start their presentations?
– How do they initiate and maintain eye contact?
– When conflicts arise, how do they handle them?
By seeing what others are doing, you can better understand the areas in which you need to improve.
Focus Communication Skills to the Moment
Life is about moments, so you should employ the right set of skills and techniques to the situation at hand. This means customizing your communication efforts to the person or audience that is present. The old saying that brevity is the soul of wit applies in most communication situations.
Make your emails, speeches, and presentations short and to the point. Focus on one or two points at a time. And allow for feedback and interaction. That is how great communicators work.
Create Opportunities to Communicate to Others
If practice makes perfect, then the more opportunities you must communicate with others, the more you will improve your communication skills. So, ask your boss about allowing you to present something at the next meeting.
It can be a simple update on the work you are doing, but the more opportunities you have to speak in front others, the better you will improve your communication skills. And this in turn will open bigger opportunities.
Know the Audience
Great communicators calibrate their communication to the situation at hand. This starts by understanding the objective of the meeting or situation that you are in. The objective should be the focal point of your communication.
For example, if a meeting is about solving a single issue, then do not bring up other issues. Know the objective and know your audience. Fit the style of communication you will use to the event.
There is a big difference between making a speech in front of a large group and talking to a co-worker. And remember that communication is a two-way street. Know when to speak and know when to listen and respond to what others are saying.
Initiate the Interaction
In situations where others are presenting and opening the floor for questions, ask one. It may be a small, even rather insignificant questions, but it’s the place to start. By staying silent all the time, you are missing out on the opportunities to bolster your communication skills.
Just start with one question. Voice a small opinion. Keep it brief, but you will notice that what seems to be quite trying at first will become second nature in future meetings. Just be sure you are to the point and not rambling when you speak.
Listen
As fundamental as speaking and writing, listening is crucial to being a good communicator. To become a great listener, you must focus on the important details of what others are saying, incorporate that into your response, and then present your views based on what they have said.
It’s a simple thing, but listening is vital to connecting to your audience. By being focused on what others are saying, you can greatly improve your communication skills.
Tell a Story
It may seem like a timewaster at first, but if you can employ a concise story that applies to the situation, you can really make your points come across with far greater clarity. The story can be something you saw at work, something you heard on the news, or from any source. What’s important is that the story needs to tie directly into the point that you are making.
Admittedly, this is the most difficult aspect of communication. Telling stories is more than simply relating facts. You are weaving together a tale that must be visualized by those who are listening. But if you master this, then you can greatly improve your efforts at communication.
Give Credit
Letting people know how much they are appreciated is one of the best methods to boost morale, increase productivity, and create a closer rapport between you and your audience. Point out when someone has contributed positively to the group or organization. It can be a small thing, but it will have a big impact when you do it properly.
Additional Steps
You now know the basics. What you need to do is get the proper feedback to help identify areas that can be improved. You can do that with the following.
- Get feedback from your manager and team
- Hire a professional coach to assess your communication efforts
- Attend a live public speaking class or session
- Practice what you have learned outside of work
All these tips seem simple enough and you do not have to use all of them. But you should get some feedback on what you are doing. Otherwise, it can be easy to overlook an area of weakness that needs improvement.
Put the steps together and you will develop the ability to bolster your communication skills. This will speed the progress of reaching your career goals.
