10 Tips That Can Help You Improve In Your Corporate Communication Skills And Pave Through Recession
Speaking is what we do the most, to express, to communicate to celebrate! So, being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important life skill, especially during a recession. Having strong communication skills aid in all aspects of life- from professional to personal life and everything that falls in between.
IMF on 3rd March speculated a recession that could be as bad as The Great Depression! Recessions are tough to pave through. The competition and filtration work ten times harsher than usual. I’m sure it must have rung the bell for most of you but today we have compiled a few tips that can help you improve your corporate communication and help you pave through Recession!
Good communication skills are essential to allow others and yourself to understand information more accurately and quickly. It also reflects confidence and leadership quality while talking. Ask the majority of people for their advice on how to be a good speaker and communicate effectively, and they’ll come up with something like “BE CONFIDENT”.
To list a few:
1. Know who you are talking to
One of the first things you should work on when looking to improve your communication skills is deciphering who it is you’re speaking to when you’re communicating. This includes everything from where they’re from to what their personality and emotional temperament are. This affects how you communicate with someone as much as anything, from the language you use to what kinds of stories you tell to communicate a point, so whatever you can garner before and during a conversation can go a long way to improving how effectively you’re able to communicate your message.
2. Watch Your Body Language
It is as important as the words you speak. Body language, or non-verbal communication, is all those gestures, tics, facial expressions, body positions and eye movements that we seldom think about. We barely notice that we are folding our arms, or clenching our fists, or staring blindly over the heads of our audience. We don’t notice. But our audiences do. In fact, they form a judgment about us, even before we start to speak. They evaluate how we walk, how we stand, how we dress, how we look. And they come to a conclusion about us… in a nano-second.
3. Make sure you are understood
Don’t blame the other person for not understanding. Instead, look for ways to clarify or rephrase what you are trying to say so it can be understood. Ask the receiver to do something in response to the message. This will at least give you the assurance that the message was received. The quality of the response should be a good indicator of whether the message was properly received.
4. Say just enough to get your point across
People with refined communication skills tend to speak less and listen more. However, when they speak they always seem to communicate their message more clearly than the less refined communicator that trails on and on endlessly. Before you speak, think about why you’re responding to someone, or what you’re trying to communicate, and what the essence or point is of your response. It’s a difficult skill to master but this can get you started in the right direction.
5. They don’t care, Relax
When we communicate with others, we tend to think that they’re judging us about every other thing we do and say. This affects everything we do when we communicate with others, whether we notice it or not. What is happening within us often magnifies what’s going on outside of us, so if you can remind yourself of this when you’re communicating it will give you a sense of relief that allows you to relax and communicate more clearly and confidently.
Really listen, not just stay quiet. Listening is one of, if not the, most important aspects of communication. Because communication is the process of interacting and transmitting messages with others, you can only be so good at it if all you ever work on is being a good talker. When communicating with another, make it a point to listen closely to not just the words they speak, but also to their body language, and the emotions they’re displaying. When communicating there are all kinds of nonverbal cues you can pick up on that will tell you how the other person is feeling and responding to your words.
7. Respect your audience
Recognize your message is not just about you or what you want. You should sincerely care about the needs and the unique perspectives of those to whom you are communicating. One of the best ways to show your respect is simply by paying attention to what they say.
We have some great sayings in the SEAL teams: “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast, “ and “don’t run to your death.” Nothing shows nerves more than racing through your presentation. If you want to impact the audience in a meaningful way, make sure they actually hear what you are saying. Slow it down.
9. Project Confidence
Fake it until you make it, they say. The more you project confidence, the more confidence you are likely to feel. Get out there and own the room. Even if you are terrified, Fake it. Look people in the eye and command their attention.
10. Prepare Yourself Mentally
Find time during the hour before your speech for some solitude. Get your mind right. Clear your head. If it’s five minutes before, just relax. The time for making sure you know the material perfectly has passed.
PROVEN WAYS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Here are some ways to communicate better:
* Have a Positive Attitude
Doesn’t matter if you are addressing a huge crowd, conducting a meeting, or talking on a phone, you must have a positive attitude. Believe me, if you are speaking to others with positivity then they would definitely give emphasis on your words. Without a positive approach, you would fail to engage others in your communications.
* Write things down
While you are working on several things then it may mislead you and distract you from the main topic so it is necessary to take notes. Don’t rely on your memory and I can bet if you take notes regularly then it will help you a lot to organize your schedule and make your tasks simpler. Convey a follow-up email to determine that you have understood what was discussed during a specific meeting or brainstorming session.
* Utilise Modern Approaches
Gone are those days when we used visual aids to convey our message. For instance, using PowerPoint presentations is less effective than a storyline. This means one can understand your message more clearly with a proper storyline. Try various gestures and ask relevant questions to convey your point to your listener.
* Show appreciation
Before getting into a conversation, it is better to show your thanks towards the other individual for his/her time with you. As you know, time is highly precious and so you should never forget to show you are considerate and give respect to time. Also, do not forget to recognize or complement any positive contribution made by the individual or group of people to whom you are talking to. When it comes to developing a good rapport, praise and appreciation can go a long way.
* Connect
If possible, you can connect on a personal level to an individual to whom you wish to communicate well. You can look for areas, where interests overlap and even in professional situations, there can be some personal interests in common like children, sports and hobbies. However, it is better to keep away from controversial topics like politics and religious beliefs
Recession is indeed scary but for now, it is only anticipated. So before you get worked up, try to work on your skills until the time demands it. Remember, Practising Over Panicking!
Meanwhile, read this to enhance your skill during quarantine!
Originally published at https://www.fuzia.com.