Twelve Ways to Improve your Communication Skills
Communication Skills Training: Twelve Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills
Mastering communications skills is one of the best things that you can do, since your future success, health and happiness relies upon your ability to gain the willing cooperation of others. In order to gain their willing cooperation, you will need to properly communicate with them.
Some people are natural-born master communicators; they seem to have been born with the gift of the gab. People such as John Lennon, The Martin Luther King, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. They are the lucky few.
You may like these four, or you may loath them, but you would probably agree; this particular fab-four were definitely, Master Communicators.
How could you become a master communicator? Let is look in more detail as to what makes a master communicator.
Communication is a complex subject; it has many component parts. To understand the whole, we must first identify the parts. There are the three major parts of communication:
- Words.
- Voice tone.
- Body language.
Words can be split into two subsets: content and style. Content is WHAT you have to say and style is HOW you express your content.
So now we have four major parts to your communication.
- Your verbal content.
- Your verbal style.
- Your body language.
- Your voice tones.
Your verbal content
1. Make your content clear. Don't mix your messages. If your main message is lost amongst a crowd of lesser messages, you will lose your listener.
2. Limit the amount. Don't overwhelm the listeners mind with too much information. People have limited memory power. So don't give them too much to remember.
3. Make your content logical. If they cannot see any logic in your message, they will have no reason to accept it.
Your verbal style
4. Suit your style to your audience. Speak to businessmen and women in a business-like style. Speak to children in a simplified-style.
5. Balance your content between talking about general principles and concrete examples. You could either Name the principle and then illustrate with examples, or you could do the opposite; Give examples first, and then draw-out the general principle.
Both systems work, but you need to decide which would be best for your particular message and your particular audience.
6. Repeat your main message. If you want them to remember what you said, repeat, repeat, repeat! Repetition is the mother of memory.
Your body language
7. Dress according to the context. Match your audience's higher expectations. Don't dress up too much, but don't be scruffy either, relative to your audience's expectations.
8. Animate yourself; so that you are not boring to look at. Move and smile. If you are too static, like a stone-statue, your audience will soon begin to snooze. Make your body language support your verbal content. A little showmanship can go a long way.
9. Never point. Don't point your finger. Don't point your pen. Pointing is too aggressive. To emphasise your main points, use an open hand gesture.
Your voice tones
10. Your voice should be slightly louder than is normal. This will give you an air of confidence.
11. Your voice should be slightly deeper than is normal. This will give you an air of authority.
12. Your pace should be slightly slower than normal. This will give you an air of calm certainty and gravitas.
How to Become a Master Communicator Summary
- Make your content clear.
- Limit the amount.
- Make your content logical.
- Suit your style to your audience.
- Balance between "general principles" and "concrete examples".
- Repeat, repeat, repeat!
- Dress according to the context.
- Animate yourself.
- Never point.
- Your voice should be slightly louder, deeper and slower than normal.
To discover where your communication skills are strongest, and where they are not so strong, try our quick Communication Skills Quiz.
Communication Skills Training
Do you ever think to yourself, "I know what I mean, but I can't explain it"? You need to be able communicate facts, feelings, information and ideas, in a clear, professional and confident manner. If you want to learn more about our communication skills training, please click here.
Definition: communication skills
In business, communication skills are a skill set that lets a person gain willing cooperation. They rest on four traits: clear words that carry one main idea, a style that fits the listener, open body language that backs the words, and voice control-slightly louder, deeper and slower-to sound sure and calm.
Show CG4D Definition
- Uses clear verbal content to express one main idea
- Adapts verbal style to suit the audience
- Aligns body language with spoken message
- Controls voice tone, volume and pace to project confidence
Article Summary
Speak with clear words, match your style to the listener, add open body language and steady voice; practise these twelve simple habits and your communication skills will win cooperation at work and in life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What are the four parts of effective communication?
Why must I keep my message clear and limited?
How does body language support my spoken words?
Which voice changes help me sound confident?
How can I adapt my speaking style to different audiences?
Why is repetition important in communication?
Should I mix principles with examples when I speak?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
LinkedIn Learning’s Workplace Learning Report 2024 shows that 91% of UK hiring managers say strong communication is the most important skill they seek in candidates. The State of Business Communication 2024 report by Grammarly and Harris Poll finds that employees lose an average of 7.4 working hours each week due to poor communication, costing firms roughly £12,000 per worker per year.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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Looking for Communication Skills Training?
If you're looking to develop your Clear Communication Skills, you may find this Communication Skills Training Course beneficial:
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