Communication is very important in everyday life. Effective communication is a key interpersonal skill. Today many jobs require strong communication skills. Good communication skills help to enjoy better interpersonal relationships with friends, family, and society. We must learn to develop effective communication skills fundamental to a successful life.
How To Develop Effective Communication Skills?
Do you have fear when speaking to an individual or a group of people? It can happen if it is your first attempt. Be confident in what you are saying. Believe in yourself. Learn to boost self-confidence.
How fundamental is the urge to communicate?
To understand this, you can watch a baby listening to its mother and trying to repeat the sounds she makes.
Here are a few tips to develop effective communication skills
1. Be A Good Listener
Some people have a bad habit of interrupting others while talking. This happens while talking with an individual or in a group discussion.
A good example you can see on TV channel debate. Some participants do not allow the other panel member to talk. Many anchors also do this. They have the right to interrupt, but often interrupting is not good.
Do not interrupt while another person is speaking. Listen to the person, allow him to complete his talk. That way you are respecting that person. Listening is the best sincere form of respect.
This is a beautiful quote from the Bible.
Sirach 11:8
Do not answer before you listen,
Bible (NRSVCE) – Sirach 11:8
and do not interrupt when another is speaking.
2. Good Body Language
Keep an eye on your body language. Your body language speaks about you more than your words. If your body language is not correct, the meaning of your words will be different to the listener. Some people speak well, but their body language gives the wrong impression to the listeners and that creates a problem.
3. Check Before Hit Send
When sending messages through e-mail or social media, check before you hit send. Avoid using hurting or provocative words and also ensure your words are communicating the intended message. Spelling or wrong placement of words can give a negative meaning.
4. Be Brief And Specific
Be brief, yet specific in your messages and talk. Think before you speak. Do not speak out whatever comes in your mind. Let your brain to pay close attention to what you say and how you say it. Remember, words once said cannot be taken back. Learn The Right And Wrong Use Of The Tongue In Daily Life.
5. Treat Everyone Equally
Treat everyone equally, respect the listener. Do not talk down to anyone looking at his status or look.
6. Smile And Positive Attitude
Keep a smile on your face and maintain a positive attitude. A smile speaks a lot and passes positive energy to the person with whom you are talking. Smile also helps the angry person to calm down and change his/her attitude.
Your positive attitude will shine through your talk. People will realise it and respond positively to you. Speak words carefully never hurt the listener.
I found many people smile while delivering every sentence and wondered how it is possible because I can’t smile always.
When we are sad or mood off, we can’t smile. But we can find some people can hide their problems and keep a smile when they speak.
We may communicate less effectively during times of stress and anger.
Read What is Stress Resilience And How To Manage?
Many times we have to face these emotions and it is necessary to control, reduce and manage them on time.
Read How to Control Anger with Easy Steps?
That will avoid damage to mental and physical health. If not treated on time, these emotions can harm personal, family and social life.
Read How to Control Anger with Easy Steps?
Many people have Workplace Stress. This affect their communication in the workplace and also at home. Effect of the stress and anger of the day they relieve on family members and children.
While writing this, some faces came through my mind, like
7. Visual media
Visual media is a medium to communicate good things and also to learn good communication methods from great persons from different fields.
But these days many TV channels and youtube videos are business minded and showing wrong communication skills.
While watching debates on TV channels, found many anchors do not smile or even respect the invited persons for the channel debate.
When the anchor interrupts the talk of a person and does not allow him/her to speak his views he/she is not giving proper respect to that person.
Some anchors get angry and even shout on the invited persons on their channel. What do you think, is it a good communication method?
8. Social Media
Fake news and baseless negative comments are trending on social media now. The publishers know this is the best kind of posts to get more likes, shares and comments.
Some people have a bad habit of reacting and making negative comments on such posts and videos. Sometimes, this kind of posts, videos and comments hurt and cause damage to an individual, family or a community. Avoid this kind of posts, videos and comments on your network.
Remember, social media like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp are developed by good expert people for the betterment of humanity.
They all are giving cost-free access, storage and delivery. It doesn’t mean we have the right to misuse the facility.
If you make good use of it, you can develop effective communication skills through social media. Because through social media you can keep in touch with great persons from different parts of the world.
Do not argue or make comments on matters which are not concerned to you or you have not enough knowledge.
Think before you publish next post, video or comment on the social media and make it the betterment of the persons who read and watch.
Argue
Read this Bible quote. What a beautiful advice? If we follow this, we can avoid many problems.
Do not argue about a matter that does not concern you,
Bible (NRSVCE) Sirach 11:9
and do not sit with sinners when they judge a case.
Tips to develop communication skills
International Keynote Speaker Simerjeet Singh
Simerjeet Singh is an International motivational speaker. In this video he renders tips to develop effective communication skills by illustrating the LAW OF PAYING THE PRICE. He emphasizes to put in the best efforts to receive the desired outcome. He also clarifies the misconception between developing effective English speaking and developing effective communication skills.
There is an old saying, Communication Works For Those, Those Who Work At It!
Communication is an art to express our feelings and emotions to others, but a successful person is one who is able to communicate well. Click To Tweet4 Things to Practice daily to Improve Communication Skills
When you want to improve your communication skills these questions surely arise in your mind, What to do? How to do? and How much to do?
This video will guide you with the essential 4 things to be followed to improve your communication skills. These are the best tips to improve English communication skills.
22 Ways to improve your communication skills infographic
How to become a master in communication skills?
If needed anyone can ever claim to have mastered in communication skills. Remember, it is not possible in a day or two, but it may take a lifetime to become a master in communication skills. Don’t worry about this. You can do many things to improve your communication skills and ensure that you can transmit and receive information effectively.
Related Overcome fear of public speaking
Do you think I am a master in communication skills?
After reading this post, you may think I am a master in communication skills. But that is not true.
I am an ordinary person with no good communication skills. I was smiling rarely while speaking, I was short-tempered and the body language was also not good.
After reading articles, watching videos and also watching the attitude of other people and listening to their suggestions I tried to improve.
Now, I can say Hi to others on the way, can smile (not always), can control the emotions. Still, I am not a master and I don’t think I can become a master.
Now you may ask, then why I share this post. Yes, I write and share tips from the knowledge gained through reading which I feel may be helpful for the people visiting and reading the articles.
Conclusion
Poor communication skills can affect relationships, business, career and make your life harder.
Do you have effective communication skills?
Do you like to share your tips or experiences with others?
Feel free to leave your valuable thoughts in the comment box. Creative discussion helps for a better life.
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Mathukutty P. V. is the founder of Simply Life Tips. He is a Blogger, Content Writer, Influencer, and YouTuber. He is passionate about learning new skills. He is the Director of PokketCFO.
He lives with the notion of “SIMPLE LIVING, CREATIVE THINKING”. He Believes – “Sharing is caring.” and “Learning never ends.”
Lots of detailed analysis of how communication should be. The example of Amitabh Bachchan sir is really worth learning. We see many reality shows and news interviews, where the anchor and the participants are arguing just to prove nothing. Thank you for the very helpful post.
Thanks for the visit and comment. Yes, Amitabh Bachchan is a good inspiration to learn communication skill. He is an actor in movies, but he is really a humble person who respect others without considering their status or education.