5 Great Ways to Improve Communication!

Communicating with people is second nature to all of us. But are we doing it effectively? In today’s world, it is impossible not be in constant contact with everyone around us. We have our phones, iPads, tablets and other devices to keep in touch with everyone.

But what happens when we are required to speak to someone face to face? Do we listen to what they have to say or do we simply put our point across regardless of whether the other person has heard us or not? If we want other people to hear what we have to say and understand them effectively we must learn effective strategies.

Here are a few tips for effective communication:

1. Have a plan:

Have a clear plan in mind before you start to express your position or your ideas. Think of all the things you wish to say and write them down. When you have a clear idea of what it is you are going to say, it makes putting your point across much easier.

2. Be conscious of both your verbal and nonverbal actions:

You should  be careful about what you say as well as how you say it. Your tone and volume lets the listener know the overall direction of the conversation. If you are happy, look happy and keep the tone light. If you are angry, you will look angry and keep the tone and volume in tune.

*It is important to note that even if you are angry, yelling will not solve the issue as effectively as a well thought out argument.

3. Wait for the person to finish a thought before interrupting with questions:

Communication is a two-way street. You have to listen as well as talk. Listen to what the other person is saying before jumping to put your point across. You should show the other person the same courtesy that they showed while listening to you.

4. If you’re not sure of the message they are trying to send, ask questions:

It’s okay to ask questions once the other person has finished talking. This way not only do they feel like you are interested in what they are saying they will also know that you were listening to what they had to say.

5. Paraphrase what you heard, so the sender knows you understood the message:

Once the sender has finished speaking, paraphrase what they have said so that you both are on the same page. This way both of you will understand what has been communicated and what needed to be understood from the message.