Tips to Improve your Communication Technique
Communication training.
Communication skills training is important, because in order to achieve your goals, you need to gain the willing cooperation of other people. And the only way you can do that is to communicate your message.
Communication has six major channels:
- Words: language.
- Voice tone.
- Body language.
- Written word.
- Listening.
- Reading.
Here is one excellent piece of advice for each set.
1. Words: Language.
Always strive for verbal clarity.
Avoid using open ended words and phrases which have multiple meanings. For example; the phrase, "As soon as possible", denotes multiple possible meanings and is therefore a poor choice of expression.
Your first duty is to be understood. And to be understood you need to use clear and specific language. Not unclear and ambiguous language.
2. Voice tone.
Voice tone concerns the musical element of your voice.
People judge your emotional balance largely on the tone of your voice. Good voice tones are generally slower, louder, deeper, and more variable.
Bad voice tones are the opposite: faster or quieter, shriller, or monotone.
Therefore speak with a voice tone that is generally slower, louder, deeper, and more variable.
3. Body language.
Body language is a huge topic and pertains to how you appear to your listeners. Body language is about your dress code, your facial expression, your eye contact, your posture, gestures, proximity, scent and orientation.
A good piece of advice I can give you is this:
Give good eye contact and try to maintain a relaxed and friendly facial expression.
4. The written word.
A vast amount of communication that occurs in business world is in the form of the written word. Therefore, it is important to get your writing up to standard.
The best one-line piece of advice I can offer you is:
Never send unstructured, rambling messages; instead always structure your message.
5. Listening.
Listening is the art of paying attention to the other person, understanding, judging and remembering what you heard.
The best piece of advice I can give you is this:
When listening, give the other person 100% of your attention.
- Don't split your focus or doze off.
- Listen with intent to understand, not with intent to disprove.
6. Reading.
Reading is a uniquely human activity. No other animal in the universe reads. Many people are not good readers. They read, but they don't absorb what they read. So, read slowly and with a pencil in hand. Try to reduce what you are reading into simple summaries. Then review your summary notes and memorise them.
For example: Here are the summary notes for this blog.
Six pieces of advice to improve your communication skills.
1. Always strive for verbal clarity.
2. Speak with a voice tone that is generally, slower, louder, deeper, and more variable.
3. Never send unstructured, rambling messages; instead always structure your message:
4. When listening, give the other person 100% of your attention.
5. Listen with intent to understand, not with intent to disprove.
6. Read with a pencil in hand; and memorise the key sentences.
Definition: Active listening
Active listening is a business communication skill where you give the speaker full focus, hold back judgement, show that you understand with clear feedback, and remember key points for action. Lose any one of these steps and you slip into passive hearing, weakening shared understanding and joint work.
Show CG4D Definition
- Gives the speaker full attention
- Holds back judgement to understand the message
- Shows understanding through clear verbal and non-verbal feedback
- Remembers key points and uses them in the reply
Article Summary
Clear words, steady voice, open body, tidy writing, focused listening and active reading turn ideas into shared action; master these six skills and your communication moves people to help you hit any goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What does verbal clarity mean in communication skills?
How can I pick the right voice tone for my message?
Which body language supports clear communication?
What is the quickest way to structure a workplace email?
How do I practise active listening in meetings?
Why read slowly with a pencil in hand?
Is one communication channel more important than the rest?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2024 shows that 57% of UK learning teams rank communication as the top skill to build this year. Gartner Digital Worker Survey 2024 finds that teams who share clear written updates record a 25% rise in output compared with teams that do not.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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Further Reading in Communication - Clear Communication
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What are the Factors of Effective Communication?
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Communication Skills: Clear Thinking
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The NLP Meta Model - Clear Thinking, Clear Communication
Learn how the NLP Meta Model exposes deletions, distortions and generalisations so you can ask better questions, correct thinking and drive clear communication.
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Looking for Communication Skills Training?
If you're looking to develop your Clear Communication Skills, you may find this Communication Skills Training Course beneficial:
Open Training Course Pricing and Availability
Next Open Course Starts in 12 days, London - Central, places available