How can you improve your communication
successful communication, just like every other ability, is something that you can develop through practice. Here are some ways to begin improving your communication skills, either at your home or on the job.
1. Consider your audience.
Who do you want to communicate with? Be aware of the people whom you’re planning to reach out to might be different from the people who actually get your messages. Understanding your target audience is essential to conveying the right messages efficiently. Their age, race gender, ethnicity and marital status, as well as their educational level, income knowledge, knowledge of subject matter, and professional experience will affect how they will receive your message.
When you’re advertising for a fast-food restaurant, for instance it’s possible to communicate your message to a group of people who are most likely to have a craving. It could be a sign placed on the side of a busy road with a gigantic cheeseburger, and tells motorists that the nearest restaurant is only 2 miles from the location.
Perhaps you’re informing your family members about your wedding. You could host a party following the celebration, send them pictures of your engagement via a group chat or even surprise them at a meal two weeks after, or share the news to social platforms. Your preferred method of communication will be based on the dynamics of your family.
2. Practice active listening.
The act of listening actively is the act of paying attention to your surroundings during a conversation.
Certain techniques involve paying attention to the body’s expression, offering positive verbal cues, making inquiries, as well as demonstrating non-judgment. Before you start your message ensure that you think about the audience and make sure you practice active listening in order to understand the essence of their wants and needs. This will help you enhance your communication skills as counselor or social worker, marketer or professor, colleague or acquaintance.
These are examples of active listening practice:
- If you’re in the field of marketing,you could be engaged in social listening in order to gather information about consumers through social media platforms such as Instagram as well as TikTok.
- If you’re an instructor,you might take advantage of the feedback forms at the end of each semester and address your students’ demands by holding one-on-one sessions in the office during business hours. Also, your students could decide to join in discussion after the lecture, or even take their time as they ask questions.
- If you’re an administrator for your team,you might read Slack messages from your colleagues to determine if they are unhappy by the work load and then respond by changing priorities for the next couple of weeks. This signals to the team that their voice is heard.
- If you’re an adult,you might have a disagreement with your child regarding working on their homework. But should you inquire deeper using clear communication, they could admit that their teacher made an insulting comment that left them feeling unmotivated.
3. Send your message as clearly as is possible.
If you’ve successfully identified your target audience and have listened to their motives or needs there may be something to convey. To effectively communicate you must consider the 5 C’s of communication to make sure your message follows:
- Clear
- Correct
- Complete
- Concise
- Compassionate
Make sure you communicate in a manner that demonstrates the majority of these qualities.
4. Choose the appropriate media or the right platform.
Making use of the correct method or platform for communicating is crucial. Effective communication requires you to think about whether you’ll need to get together in person or whether Zoom is sufficient. Does your message seem casual enough to be able to send it via WhatsApp or would an official email be more effective and comprehensive? If you’re catching up with a person, do you and your friend prefer to communicate over the phone or through traditional letters? Whichever method you decide to use is logical and suitable for your needs and current situation.
It is possible to determine the priority level as well as the kind of information required. In an advertising campaign, will there be a visual component that is posted on Instagram as well as a podcast? The platform could be used for a Facebook posting, product position in a movie, or an affixed poster that is displayed in cafes? If it’s a lecture in a university will students prefer to attend online or in person? There will be a discussion following the lecture? Would it be beneficial to hold the discussion in a bar or cafe or an outdoor field?
When you consider your audience and practicing active listening, defining your message and selecting the best medium or location you’re on the way to enhancing your efficiency in your communication.
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