Having good communication skills is much like being an artist—it comes easy to some people, but for others, it can be more challenging to express themselves. However, like many skills, it can be mastered and refined over time.   Being a good communicator doesn’t just help a person in their career, but also in everyday interactions. And while yes, a significant component of communication is speaking clearly and understandably, listening is also crucial.   Whether you feel you’re accomplished at this skill or could use some work, here are 5 tips to help improve your communication skills.

Learn Nonverbal Cues

Some people put a lot of weight into how others project themselves into the world. Body language is just as important as speaking engagingly. If you’re in front of a crowd and know your speech back and forth, but you fidget and never look up from your cue cards, people will lose interest in what you’re trying to convey. Adopt a good posture to communicate with confidence. Slouching, folding your arms, or making yourself look smaller are all bad habits to avoid. Instead, make the most of the space you’ve been given by filling it up, maintaining eye contact, and making natural hand gestures.

Listen Actively and Paraphrase

You’ve likely heard the term active listening, but what does it entail? It means listening intently and responding thoughtfully to the person speaking to you. To put it simply, you shouldn’t interrupt or talk over that person, but let them finish their thought before responding.   A great method of displaying active listening is paraphrasing what a person just said. “So if I understand, this is about ________, and you’re doing so by _______.”?

Practice and Accept Feedback

There’s a popular adage called ‘practice makes perfect.’ Practicing in front of a mirror or recording oneself is a good idea. Remember, there’s always room for improvement.   If people have direct or indirect feedback, pay attention to it and apply it to your speaking practice. An example of indirect feedback might be when, if you’re speaking and someone looks perplexed, that might be a cue that you’re not explaining your point in a way that everyone can understand.

Develop Soft Skills

Soft talents like empathy, adaptability, cooperation, and open-mindedness can help you communicate more effectively. You’ll see a significant boost in your overall ability to interact with coworkers, family, and friends if you focus primarily on strengthening these skills. Examples of this are encouraging teamwork, building relationships, and being adaptable to change.   To be successful in your profession, you must communicate effectively in all modes—spoken, written, nonverbal, and visual. At Computek College, we strive to foster communication skills in our students to help them step into their careers with ease. To learn more about our diploma and certificate programs, visit our website or call us at 416-321-9911!