Communication is our skill to convey messages to one another effectively. It is certainly very important to master for successful results in the workplace.
Communicating well means that morale and productivity can be amplified, resonating good vibes and energy amongst employers and employees.
This soft skill takes time to build and improve so with practise, you will be the master of your own positive influence in the workplace environment and drive yourself forward for success.
So, how can you go ahead and improve this skill? Let's take a look here:
Understanding the four types of communication
Communication consists of the following components: verbal, nonverbal, written and visual.
Verbal communication is the application of using a spoken language to send direct information to a recipient. Speaking is the key to communication and unlocks the remaining three communication components.
In the workplace, you may see yourself conducting and participating in the following forms of verbal communication: presentations, telephone calls, meetings and one-to-one or group conversations.
Nonverbal communication entails conveying information via facial expressions, body language and gestures. You may not speak, however, your nonverbal signals will display your emotions and thoughts. If you are making good eye contact and have a relaxed posture, you will be signalling an open, approachable stance. However, having a stern expression and arms folded may imply a more unapproachable feeling.
Written communication comes in many forms too, such as: emails, letters, social media marketing, articles and so on. Articulating written information so that the reader is able to easily understand the information you are providing, is vital for workplace success.
Visual communication is the usage of aids to help illustrate the information you are presenting. Examples of these are (but not limited to): charts, graphs, photographs, sketches and drawings. Using graphical representations to demonstrate information is another effective way to communicate for workplace success.
You probably already knew this, no doubt, but it’s helpful to see what communication means.
You can now use the following simple tips to help boost your interpersonal skill further:
Be clear
When speaking or using graphics, be as clear as possible. Sometimes it’s better to use less words and get straight to the point as opposed to using long narrative which looses everyone’s train of thought – and bores them!
Listen
It's good to listen and soak in the information around you before you respond. Definitely avoid speaking over others. No one wants a colleague jabbering over them when they are talking. Listening works hand in hand with speaking so be more conscience of enforcing it whoever you are with.
Make eye contact
Encourage good eye contact with everyone you speak to as it will build rapport, trust and good relationships. Looking away and speaking may be deemed as being rude and uninterested. You certainly don’t want to give off that impression in the workplace!
Respect
Communicating respect for your fellow employees and employers is vital for building an effective workforce. You will bounce off each other with brilliant ideas if you enforce the simple feeling of respect.
Take feedback well
As part of working in a team, you will have personal performance reviews whereby your achievements and room for improvements will be communicated to you.
Do you know that taking constructive criticism well is part of building your communication skills? If you handle it well, that’s great! You are on your way to empowering your verbal and nonverbal skills. No one likes to be criticised but it is all about dealing with it like a pro.
Be conscience of your body language
Whilst at work, practise focusing on how you are feeling in yourself particularly when you are speaking to colleagues. Are you facing towards them when they are talking? Is any part of your body feeling tense? Do you feel like your facial expression is showing something negative? Working on improving your body language will help boost those nonverbal communication skills.
Check in on your visuals!
Do you feel like your visual skills need a helping hand? Maybe your employer can provide you avenues to spurring your skills on. You could have a look online to see what is out there that will encourage you to build those all-important communication skills.
Don’t overlook this component though as you never know when you will be expected to present information in this manner!
Good luck on your journey to improving your communication skills for workplace success!
