Developing Communication Skills through Speaking and Listening

Initiating a conversation is a good first step to develop good communication skills.

Developing effective communication skills, however, cannot be acquired overnight, hence it is called “skill”. It needs to be learned, practiced and developed.

For project managers, journalists; public media spokes person, broadcasters and a list of other career professionals, effective communication skills are very important.

By developing your communication skills, you have to learn to speak effectively and listen attentively. These two are the most important skills you have to attain. How to do it, here are the details:

Speaking:

For one to develop good public speaking abilities, speaking skills have to be learned, practiced and evaluated over a period of time. The first rule of thumb to be able to speak effectively is planning what to say. What is the main idea of what you are trying to convey? Organize your thoughts so they lead to the main idea of the message you are trying to send across. Once you have arrived at your main idea, take a short brief and ask your audience if they are following you. By doing so, you know if you are off tangent on what you are saying or still on the right path. Ask your listeners if they understood what you were saying so that you are both on the right page. Make sure you keep your conversation focused and direct to the point.

Another point to take note when speaking is the style you use in expressing yourself. The speaking style you use has a large impact on the audience you are speaking to especially if you want to be convincing. When speaking, strive to be warm and enthusiastic. Doing this, your audience will be responsive and perfect interaction can be formed.

It is normal to expect questions during a conversation and always be prepared to answer them. When answering, take your time by paraphrasing the question to be sure you are certain of what it means. In situations where you do not know the answer to the question, do not make up an answer, instead, say you do not know the answer.

Listening:

Strive to be an effective listener by listening attentively to what the speaker is saying. To be an effective listener, you should be able to hear the words as the speaker communicates so that you can understand the entire message. Effective listening in developing communication skills is by looking at the speaker when he is communicating, maintain eye contact and nod during brief pauses. Watch the speaker’s facial expression to be able to completely understand the tone of the message he is conveying.

Show open attitude to the speaker through body language and attentiveness. To be an effective listener, you must be composed when relating with the speaker. In this way, they feel more accepted when they are with you. Don’t fidget or frown when looking at the speaker because he is trying to get a response from you, so giving a negative attitude makes him feel defensive, insecure and not confident.

As part of developing good communication skills, it is important to ask questions during a conversation. When asking questions, use open ended questions so that it is easier for the listener to know how to answer your questions. With all the tips given, it is obvious for us to see that communication skills is not just innate, it needs to be developed and practiced.

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