Authentic communication is an essential skill required to build bridges between people and grease the skids between coworkers, clients and managers. We are now required to communicate in ways that would have seemed impossible a generation ago.
Here are eight practical ways to build your interpersonal communication skills and stay ahead of the game.
1. Conduct the Difficult Conversation
Shying away from necessary conflict to avoid confrontation is a significant hindrance to forging meaningful communication. Through practice, you will learn the best ways to conduct the difficult conversations you need to have.
2. Brevity is Better
A good and proper economy of phrasing goes a long way toward earning goodwill from those you wish to communicate with. Get to the point quickly, and don’t waste others’ time and mental energy on pointless or filtered conversations. People will appreciate you for it.
3. Make Your Feedback Count
An essential communication skill is learning how and when to offer constructive feedback. Make the most of these opportunities when they arise.
4. Receive Feedback Gracefully
Likewise, it is crucial that you take criticism and feedback in stride. Feedback is a great way to discover what you need to focus on to perform better. Cherish the opportunity.
5. Learn to Self-Assess
Honest self-critique can be most helpful when building your interpersonal communication skills. Learn how to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses.
6. Listen with Your Eyes
Look for non-verbal cues to decipher what the other person is trying to convey. Pick up on the eye contact, posture and body language to hear the hidden conversation at play in every interaction.
7. Do Your Prep
Always be prepared for any conversation, but never fear not having a particular fact handy. It is much better to admit ignorance than to make something up.
8. Silence is Golden
Learning when not to speak is an excellent skill. It allows the other person room to say what they need. Challenge yourself to be silent the next time you feel the urge to debate.
Work on these 8 areas in your daily life to hone your skills to become the most effective communicator you can be.