Buzz
Although we start speaking at a young age, few of us receive formal education on how to communicate effectively with others. This is unfortunate, as communication is one of the most vital skills we need throughout our lives. Whether you aim to improve your social interactions or express your ideas more clearly in the workplace, here are some essential strategies to help you communicate with greater impact.
Pay attention to your body language
You might tell your partner that you're open to conversation, but your crossed arms say otherwise. You might claim to be listening, yet your eyes remain glued to your phone. Our body language and unspoken signals often communicate more than we realize. Whether it's how you maintain eye contact or your posture during a virtual interview, remember that you’re always conveying something, even in silence.
One surprising way to connect with your body for improved communication? Consider the position of your toes. Or try adopting a power pose to boost your confidence before an important talk. Alternatively, learn how to interpret others’ body language to respond in a more fitting manner.
Eliminate Unnecessary Filler Words
Words like 'um' and 'ah' don’t contribute much to your speech or daily interactions. Remove them to enhance your persuasiveness and project more confidence. You can begin by monitoring when you say fillers like 'um' or 'like'. Another tip is to take your hands out of your pockets or simply pause and relax before speaking. Those moments of silence may feel awkward to you, but they won't be as noticeable to others.
Engage in practice conversations
If you feel that your communication skills with coworkers or acquaintances aren't quite up to par, practice with friends and family who you feel at ease with. It's best to choose people who can offer genuine feedback and let you know if you’re being too quiet, too personal, or potentially making others uncomfortable.
Prepare a script for small talk and specific situations
Small talk is a skill that many haven't quite perfected. When faced with those inevitable, awkward pauses with acquaintances, it’s useful to have a strategy. The FORD (family, occupation, recreation, dreams) technique can help you brainstorm potential topics, and you can also transform small talk into a conversation by sharing details that help you and the other person find common ground. After all, engaging in small talk could lead to increased happiness over time.
Share a story
Stories hold great power. They stimulate our brains, make presentations more engaging, enhance our persuasiveness, and can even help us ace interviews. Discover the art of becoming a remarkable storyteller with these tips from Pixar, or by simply incorporating the word “but” more often to shape your narrative. Everyone has at least one incredible story within them.
Ask questions and echo the other person
Let’s be honest, we’ve all zoned out during someone else’s conversation or misheard what they said. By asking questions and repeating the last few words they said, you show that you’re engaged in the conversation, stay alert, and help clear up any misunderstandings (e.g., “So just to confirm, you’re buying the tickets for Saturday?”).
This also works well in small talk and can help bridge awkward silences. Rather than discussing typical subjects like the weather, ask the other person questions (e.g., “Any exciting summer plans?” or “What book are you reading these days?”) and actively listen to their responses. It’s more valuable to show interest than to try to appear interesting.
Eliminate distractions
It’s pretty inconsiderate to look at your phone while someone’s talking to you or when you’re supposed to be spending time with them. While we may not be able to eliminate every distraction or fully disconnect from technology, simply taking a moment to look up could significantly enhance how we communicate with others.
Adapt your message to your audience
The most effective communicators modify their approach based on who they are addressing; you’d likely communicate differently with coworkers or your boss than you would with your partner, children, or elders. Always consider the other person’s point of view when conveying your message.
Keep it concise, but clear
There’s a useful BRIEF acronym—Background, Reason, Information, End, Follow-up—that helps you keep emails brief while covering all the essentials. It’s a great approach for both written and spoken communication. (As a writer, I’ve always believed my job is to make my point clearly and then get out of the way quickly. Just two more things on this list!) Clear and concise are among the 7 Cs of communication, along with concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous.
Increase your empathy
Effective communication is a two-way street. By practicing viewing things from the other side, you can ease the challenges and stress that sometimes occur when trying to truly connect with others. (For example, understanding what your partner really means when she says she’s too tired to talk.) Building empathy helps you better understand even the unspoken elements of your communication and respond more effectively.
Listen, really listen
Finally, in line with the previous tips, the most powerful way to improve communication is to learn to truly listen—to give your full attention and allow the other person to speak without interruption. It’s challenging, but a meaningful conversation is built on skillful listening. Even if communication styles don’t match, you’re both at least working from the same page. And hopefully, the other person will be listening attentively to you as well.
