Top Communication Skills to Succeed In the Workplace
Professional success is a common goal for many. Many professionals try to make a name for themselves at work and talk a big game. But if that is not followed through with the right skills and behaviors, you will be unsuccessful in your pursuits. To thrive in your professional life, here are the top effective communication skills that can help you get there.
Listening
There is a vast difference between effective active listening and ineffective listening. Many people think they are listening, but the noise of their internal thoughts or distractions leaves them inattentive during conversations. If you want to improve in your professional life, you need to quiet your mind and be more present at the moment. Give your full attention to whomever is speaking to you.
Non-Verbal Communication
Your body language will play an important role in how you communicate. This can often be more impactful than the words you are using. The way you sit, amount of eye contact, posture, and other aspects of your non-verbal communication impact how your conversation partner will experience the content. Keep in mind that your nonverbal cues can make a bigger impact than what you are saying.
Confidence
As a professional, you will want your audience to know that you are confident in you are saying. In fact, professional confidence gives those around you assurance and helps establish trust. While you won’t want to embody unearned or excessive confidence, the right balance of self-assurance and humility can boost your professional presence.
Self-Awareness
Another essential aspect of your good communication skills is self-awareness and accountability. Your ability to think introspectively will benefit you greatly. It will make you a better team player, professional, and overall communicator. Being able to observe conversations and their progressions gives you the vital information you need to pivot and improve. Without this, you can be communicating ineffectually and thereby ruin your career prospects.
Compassion and Empathy
Truly great leaders are often skilled in compassion and empathy. They can weave this into their language and communication. By prioritizing the needs of others and operating with kindness at the forefront, you can vastly improve the culture of the company and your interactions with others. Showing care for those around you will also help you create real and lasting connections.
Respect
Most professionals are all too familiar with the feeling of being cut off or disregarded during a conversation and the terrible, unheard feelings that follow. Skilled communicators also have the power of exuding respect for others. This includes not cutting people off, leaving space for other opinions and embracing those around you. If you want to showcase your class and integrity, make sure that you always place respect at the forefront.
Transparency
Excellent leaders have a way of offering transparency in a way that balances priorities, professionalism and the needs of the person in front of them. Transparency shows another person that you value them enough to share information. While it is not always appropriate to share every last detail, transparency is an important factor in building trust.
Clarity
One of the most difficult aspects of communication is conveying the message that you are trying to get across. While it may be clear to you, it is not always clear to your conversation partner. For those who want to improve their communication, finding ways to improve their clarity is key.
Appropriate Communication
The various forms of communication have only grown over the years and they vary greatly in their utilization and strengths. A truly great communicator will know what methods to use for each use case. You wouldn’t want to have a formal communication or difficult discussion with a colleague over a text or messaging platform, just as you would not want to have personal conversations with a colleague over email. If you want to be an effective communicator, you need to master the art of communication channels.
Communication Skills
Masters of communication can take those skills to any part of their life and apply them. Whether you are navigating a challenging conversation with a colleague or a professional pitch, communication is a skill that is necessary for long-term success.
