Effective Communication

Learning effective communication skills is a straightforward process that allows you to express yourself and improve both your personal and professional relationships. Knowing how to listen well and communicate clearly will help you express yourself in clubs interviews, formal speech, and in your personal life as well.

Ways to improve Effective Communication:

1. Practice active listening. Effective communicators are always good listeners. Active listening means engaging with what people say by giving affirmative replies and asking followup questions to show that you are paying attention.

2. Manage your own emotions. For the sake of clear communication and your own personal wellbeing, it’s important to manage your emotions and express them appropriately in context. Allowing strong emotions to unnecessarily creep into a professional setting can lead to poor communication and conflict.

3. Ask for feedback. There’s no shame in asking for honest feedback on your communication skills from colleagues. Asking your peers or subordinates for their advice on improving your communication skills can help you better understand how you are coming across in your work environment. Cultivate a willingness to seek out other points of view and forge better relationships with your coworkers.

4. Practice public speaking. Public speaking may sound daunting, but there’s no better way to develop good communication skills than by seeking out public speaking opportunities. Great communicators are able to clearly articulate their feelings, whether they’re speaking to a large group or talking face-to-face to one other person. Regularly speaking in front of a group will magnify your strengths and weaknesses and force you to develop great communication habits.