Communication Skills That Open Doors
Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words
By Marlene Wagner
Elevating your communication skills is designed to make you more effective as a communicator.
That’s important because sharing your thoughts and feelings with others is how you form rewarding professional and personal relationships.
When you communicate well, your career will thrive. Your relationships will flourish, and your life will be incredibly fulfilling.
Cultivating strong verbal and nonverbal communication abilities is essential for maximizing your life’s opportunities and experiences.
The Power of Active Listening
Active listening is more than just hearing what someone is saying and nodding your head while thinking about what you will eat for dinner.
It’s all about intent and focus. You intend to get the most out of what you are hearing, with your focus entirely on the speaker.
Becoming a better listener involves taking an active role in the conversation.
When you do this, you will get a lot more out of conversations, which can significantly improve your communication skills.
The first step is to face the speaker and maintain comfortable eye contact without staring or intimidating them. Pay attention to nonverbal cues.
Most communication is actually nonverbal, and you can pick up on the message a person is sending without them speaking a word.
As you listen, don’t interrupt or let your mind jump ahead to what you’re going to say next.
Instead, let them speak and absorb everything they are saying without jumping to conclusions or passing judgment.
Your attention should remain on them, not on yourself. Show you’re engaged by nodding and using facial expressions to show you are truly listening.
Rather than offering solutions or sharing your opinion, ask questions to let others know you genuinely understand what they’re saying.
Periodically repeating what the speaker has said is another excellent way to let someone know you are listening intently.
If your mind starts to drift, consciously refocus on the speaker and engage with the whole listening experience.
This approach to listening can strengthen your relationships because it shows you respect what someone has to say.
It increases the odds they will give you the same respect when you are speaking. It also gives you a lot more information than if you were listening distractedly.
That extra knowledge can help you steer the conversation in the best direction for both parties’ benefit.
Mastering Digital Communication
In today’s connected world, digital communication has become an integral part of daily life.
The average person spends about seven hours per day viewing screens and monitors connected to the internet.
The demands of professional communication are equally significant.
Employees who use it as a professional communication tool check their business email accounts 15 times per day.
These statistics extend beyond emails. The average person in the United States makes 6 phone calls and sends or receives 32 texts per day.
Similar data is found when researching the digital communications habits of people in other first-world countries.
Much of that connected time might be spent sending and responding to emails, making it essential to master this form of communication.
To become a better digital communicator through email, consider these practical tips. Don’t go long if short works, as shorter emails are easier to digest.
Make your subject line short, clear, and to the point so recipients immediately understand the purpose of your message.
Start the email by getting straight to the point rather than wasting time with a lengthy introduction.
Attach a signature file to your emails that includes relevant contact information and your website address if appropriate.
Finally, close your emails by thanking the recipient for their time, which shows professionalism and courtesy.
Beyond email, social media sites get the lion’s share of attention from many digital users.
The question becomes how much time you spend on social media each day, on average, and whether you use it effectively.
To polish your social media communications skills and enjoy a better online socializing experience, follow these guidelines.
Add pictures or videos to your posts and responses to increase engagement and visual appeal.
Think before you send, remembering that the internet has an excellent memory, which might not be good if you post content that you later regret.
Choose the right platform for your message, as there are dozens of popular social media sites, each catering to a particular demographic and form of expression. Don’t post sensitive personal information that could compromise your privacy or security.
Instead, respect the people who respond to your posts by taking some time to engage them in deeper conversation rather than treating interactions superficially.
Be consistent by posting content on the same day each time, which helps you build a larger audience over time.
Regardless of whether you’re communicating via email or social media, make sure you send a clear message.
Read your content to yourself before sending it to ensure it has the right tone and is appropriate for your audience.
Non-Verbal Communication in The Workplace
You learned earlier that much communication is nonverbal, and this is true both on the job and in our personal lives.
Understanding how people speak without saying a word is crucial to professional success.
Have you encountered situations like an employee rolling their eyes during their performance review?
Or someone smiling when the boss mentions you have earned a customer service award?
Have you noticed an employee who always seems to crowd others’ personal space, or a boss who usually wears a frown or scowl with arms crossed?
You might also have noticed a coworker going through a difficult time at home, with a sad expression, head down, and shoulders slumped.
These examples demonstrate that you say a lot with your body, gestures, and facial expressions.
The critical question is whether your silent body language is broadcasting the message you want to send.
Be aware of what you are saying before you speak the message you want to send.
Be aware of what you are saying without speaking, or you may unconsciously limit your professional or personal relationships.
Assertive Communication
You deserve to stand up for what you believe in and protect your best interests.
There is no better advocate for you than you, and looking after yourself should be a priority when communicating with others.
However, finding the right balance in assertive communications is essential.
People may take advantage of you if you aren’t assertive enough when communicating your needs and boundaries.
Conversely, if you are too demanding, you might cause irreparable damage to your professional and personal relationships. The key is achieving balance.
To develop more assertive communication, start by sitting down and writing out areas where you want to assert more control.
Then make a list of anyone relevant to those situations.
Write down what you want to get from being more assertive and the outcome you hope to create.
Consider how your assertiveness will affect the people on your list by thinking about their perspectives and how they will be affected.
Can you state your position without hurting the feelings of others? It’s a difficult dance, and you cannot make everybody happy all the time.
However, you have a better chance of successful assertive communication if you are very clear about what you want to state rather than being vague.
You should also respect anyone affected by your assertive message and how you deliver it.
Thinking about others’ feelings while prioritizing your own needs can help you communicate more assertively while stepping on as few toes as possible.
Building Personal Relationships Through Communication
The best relationships allow for give-and-take, where each party respects the rights of the others.
In these healthy relationships, you express your feelings and encourage the important people in your life to let you know how they feel.
It only happens when you prioritize communication.
One practical approach is to schedule regular sessions where you have serious conversations with the people you care about.
Rather than just engaging in small talk, talk about dreams, feelings, and emotions.
It might be difficult for you, and if you find this tough face-to-face, you can send a letter or lengthy email instead.
Make sure you get your voice out there and let your loved ones know you want to understand their feelings, too.
You absolutely must prioritize meaningful communication with the people you care about.
Schedule times to sit down with them for an intimate, one-on-one chat.
You can also send short texts regularly to express how you feel or let them know you were thinking about them.
Ultimately, the strength of your relationships will depend on how well you communicate your thoughts and feelings.
How well do you listen to and attend to the needs of these important people?
Conclusion
You deserve a great life. That means wonderful personal and professional relationships.
Strong verbal and nonverbal communication skills are necessary to form and maintain those relationships.
You find that your self-image and confidence grow as you learn to communicate more effectively.
There are many reasons to dedicate time to improving your verbal and nonverbal communication.
So, take action. Put this information to work, and you can enjoy a better quality of life and more personal and professional success.
Please feel free to share my content with anyone you think would be interested in or benefit from the information.
Contact me if you or someone you know is interested in one-on-one coaching.
Until next time, starting today, make yourself a priority and begin living your best life.
But before we go, always remember to
Be true to your magnificent self,
Coach Marlene
Connect with me!! I’d love to hear from you.
https://attractloveatanyage.com/
www.facebook.com/coach.marlenew
Email: parkavenueunlimited@midco.net
Recent Comments