Communication skills are hugely important in almost every talent pool in the world. Depending on your job, you will be communicating with fellow employees, customers, vendors, and management. Since verbal and written communication skills establish how you are perceived by staff and customers, it certainly pays to be the best communicator you can be. And that also means being a good listener.
Benefits of Effective Communication:
- Good communication helps ensure everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goal. This can lead to improved productivity and efficiency, as well as fewer mistakes.
- Stronger relationships: Effective communication helps build trust and rapport among colleagues. This is a path to a more positive and productive workplace.
- Better customer service: Employees who can communicate effectively with customers are better able to provide them with the best service. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- When employees are good communicators, they are better able to solve problems and find creative solutions.
Here are a few tips to make you a better communicator:
- Be an active listener: When someone is speaking to you, give them your full attention and listen actively. This means making eye contact and asking clarifying questions.
- Avoid using slang, profanity, and overly technical language.
- Be respectful in your communication: Always avoid using inflammatory language.
- Be open to feedback: This can help you identify areas where you can improve your communication skills.
Be a better writer:
Written communication skills are also essential for success in any workplace. Whether you are sending an email to your boss, writing a report for a client, or creating a presentation for your team, your ability to communicate effectively with the written word can make a big difference in your career. This is especially true since so many people are simply not good writers or don’t take the time to express themselves thoroughly.
Writing Tips:
- When you write, carefully engineer your thoughts and ideas in your own voice in a way that is easy for others to understand. This is especially important when communicating complex information or when writing to people with different backgrounds or levels of expertise. Writing is not something you do quickly. It takes time but it can earn you a reputation as a great communicator.
- Well-written emails and reports show that you are professional, knowledgeable, and detail oriented.
- Writing is not writing. Writing is editing. I know that sounds silly but a clean sheet of paper or an empty email is your canvas. Organize and engineer your thoughts as best you can, but you must review, review, review until you cannot make the message clearer, more pleasant, and more transparent.
- Scrutinize your written words carefully. Typos and grammatical errors are a turn-off under all circumstances and can make you look unprofessional.
- Tailor your writing to your audience. Consider the needs and interests of the people you are addressing as you write.
- Use active voice and strong verbs. This will make your writing more engaging and easier to read.
- Get feedback from others. Ask a colleague or friend to review your writing and provide feedback. Another set of eyes is always a plus.
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