COMMUNICATION:

Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. In business, it is a key function of management–an organization cannot operate without communication between levels, departments and employees.

The ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and staff is essential, no matter what industry you work in. Workers in the digital age must know how to effectively convey and receive messages in person as well as via phone, email, and social media. What skills do employers look for? Which communication skills will help ensure your success?

Top 10 Communication Skills Here are the top 10 communication skills that will help you stand out in today’s job market.

1. Listening communicator. No one likes communicating with someone who only cares about putting in her two cents, and does not take the time to listen to the other person. If you’re not a good listener, it’s going to be hard to comprehend what you’re being asked to do.

Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good

the time to practice active listening. Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and phrasing what the person says to ensure understanding (“So, what you’re saying Through active listening, you can better understand”)

Nonverbal communication – Your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone all color the message you are trying to convey. A relaxed, open stance arms open, legs relaxed), and a friendly tone will make you appear approachable, and will encourage others to speak openly with you.

Eve contact is also important; you want to look the person in the eye to demonstrate that you are focused on the person and the conversation (however, be sure not to stare at the person, which can make him or her uncomfortable).

Also pay attention to other people’s nonverbal signals while you are talking.

often, nonverbal signals convey how a person is really feeling. For example, if the person is not looking you in the eye, he or she might be uncomfortable or hiding the truth.

3. Clarity and Concision – Good communication means saying just enough – don’t say too little or talk too much. Try to convey your message in as few words as possible. Say what you want clearly and directly, whether you’re speaking to someone in person, on the phone, or via email. If you ramble on, your listener will either tune you out or will be unsure of exactly what you want. Think about what you want to say before you say it; this will help you to avoid talking excessively and/or confusing your audience.

4. Friendliness – Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile, you will encourage your coworkers to engage in open and honest communication with you. It’s important to be nice and polite in all your workplace communications.

This is important in both face-to-face and written communication. When you can, personalize your emails to coworkers and/or employees a quick “I hope you all had a good weekend” at the start of an email can personalize a message and make the recipient feel more appreciated.

.Confidence – It is important to be confident in all of your interactions with others.

confidence ensures your coworkers that you believe in and will follow through with,what you are saying. Exuding confidence can be as simple as making eye contact using a firm but friendly tone (avoid making statements sound like questions), of course, be careful not to sound arrogant or aggressive. Be sure you are alive listening to and empathizing with the other person.

6. Empathy – Even when you disagree with an employer, coworker, or employee, it is important for you to understand and respect their point of view. Using phrases as simple as “I understand where you are coming from” demonstrates that you have been listening to the other person and respect their opinions.

7. Open-Mindedness – A good communicator should enter any conversation with a flexible, open mind. Be open to listening to and understanding the other person’s point of view, rather than simply getting your message across. By being willing to enter into a dialogue, even with people with whom you disagree, you will be able to have more honest, productive conversations.

8. Respect – People will be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their ideas. Simple actions like using a person’s name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. On the phone, avoid distractions and stay focused on the conversation. Convey respect through email by taking the time to edit your message. If you send a sloppily written, confusing email, the recipient will think you do not respect her enough to think through your communication with her.

9. Feedback – Being able to appropriately give and receive feedback is an important communication skill. Managers and supervisors should continuously look for ways to provide employees with constructive feedback, be it through email, phone calls, or weekly status updates. Giving feedback involves giving praise as well – something as simple as saying “good job” or “thanks for taking care of that” to an employee can greatly increase motivation. Similarly, you should be able to accept, and even encourage, feedback from others. 40 Picking the Right Medium – An important communication skill is to simply know the form of communication to use. For example, some serious conversations layoffs, changes in salary, etc.) are almost always best done in person.

what form of communication ;

should also think about the person with whom you wish to speak – If they are very busy people (such as your boss, perhaps), you might want to convey your message through email. People will appreciate your thoughtful means of communication, and will be more likely to respond positively to you.

What Are Communication Skills

if someone has superb communication skills, he or she probably has an aptitude for clearly and collectively conveying and receiving messages to and from others both verbally and through body language, including facial expressions, eye contact, arm movement, and posture. General communication skills are important for everyday communication in all situations when you are exchanging conversation with someone else. They are helpful from small talk to deep conversation.

Steps to Improve your Communication Skills

1. Understand what is communication?

Communication is essentially passing the message either verbally or non-verbally. In today’s changing world the verbal communication has taken over the written language.

2. Think before you act ;Remember that once something is said, you cannot take it back. So you must think before you speak.

3. Maintain eye Contact ;Eye contact is something which most of us miss out on. One has to keep in mind that maintaining eye contact with the listener or listeners will make sure that even the listener or the audience is responding to what you say.

4. Body Language Body language is again one of those things which are taken for granted. One has to keep it in mind that your body language will tell more things than you intend to say

The said body language also includes gestures & posture. So when you speak, you will have to speak clearly & stand or sit professionally.

5. Pronunciation Telling a word correctly, i mean pronouncing the word correctly is another important thing that one should concentrate on. And if at all you are not that good or perfect in pronouncing the words then it is advised that you start working on Hey, Google will come to your rescue. All you will have to do is type the wordadd “Pronunciation” next to it.

6. Speak Slowly ;Next on the list is the way you speak. Basically, one thinks that if you speak fast then you are at your best. But hey that is not the deal! As a matter of fact, the firE has to be on the way you speak & not the speed. So, starters, see to it that you may speak slowly but make sure that you speak correctly & without any grammatical errors.

7. Be Brave Oh yes! You will have to be brave enough to speak. Generally, People tend to be a little nervous when it comes to speaking; as they fear that what they speak may not be right. But dudes you will have to understand the fact that until you speak you will not know whether you can speak correctly or not. So, you better start making sentences & speak.

Ah! We all like to watch movies or some or the other show. And the best part of it is that you hear ‘n’ number of background music. The same thing is to be applied when you speak. You will have to have expressions in your tone. When you have an expressive tone or voice automatically people begin to listen to you.