Communication is one of the most important skills that you can have. No matter where you are in your career or position, you can’t get by without communicating, whether with your supervisors and colleagues or with clients and customers. Below are some essential skills that can help you prioritize your communication development.
Active listening
Active listening is one of the most important tools that you can have in your toolbox. This skill enables you to engage in what others say by displaying understanding and interest. This allows people to view you as a safe person to talk to, building respect and relationships with the people you’re communicating with. Focusing more on what people tell you rather than what you’ll say next is incredibly important to advancing your career.
Learn the different communication styles
Professionals of all levels should be aware of the different communication styles to ensure a good level of effective communication. These are
- Passive: passive communicators tend to be quieter and hide their true feelings. They can either act indifferent or agreeable depending on the situation they are in so as to not rock the boat
- Aggressive: aggressive communicators are blunt, sometimes to a fault. These people will express their emotions regardless of the situation that they’re in. People may view them as intimidating or abusive in the interactions they have with others.
- Passive Aggressive: passive-aggressive communicators tend to always appear aloof, hiding their emotions even when they’re angry or upset. People are aware that the communicator is upset, but since these communicators tend to avoid confrontation, you can’t be 100% sure what they’re thinking or feeling
- Assertive: assertive communicators are those who express their feelings in a considerate, clear, and effective manner. They’re respectful in the interactions that they have with others.
Persuasion
Persuasive communication is an incredibly important tool in your skillset, as proper persuasion can lead to increased productivity in the workplace. Being able to convince others to act or behave in a certain way that can lead to the accomplishment of an end goal is invaluable to a company. Persuasive communication, when done correctly, can benefit your relationships with your employees, as well as your customers and external stakeholders.
People who are good persuasive communicators can read a room well, establishing a keen awareness of their audience. They tend to be charismatic and friendly, easily establishing a conversation with those who they intend to reach. People who are good at persuading also can make their ideas seem tempting, presenting the idea in such a way that people feel that they can benefit from what the persuader is trying to convince them to do.