Effective Communication

What is Effective Communication?

The bridge between people

Communication is the bridge between people. Effective communication is one of the rare job skills that can be used in ANY job, in ANY role, in ANY industry.

Effective communication is being able to:

• State your needs
• Talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere
• Set up boundaries
• Be socially assertive
• Ask for what you are worth
• Speak so people listen
• Speak in public
• Negotiate
• Build rapport

The better you communicate, the more likely you will succeed at work and in life. You can quantum leap your professional success by perfecting your communication strategies.

People who are exceptionally good at communicating know how to articulate their needs to others—and have them respected. Typically, they have a potent combination of influence and charisma. Here’s the good news: You can too!

To be an effective communicator you need to:

Cultivate Your Influence: To get what you want, you have to know what you want. Are you clear on your boundaries and needs? Influence comes first from within.

Hone Your Nonverbal and Verbal Intelligence: Once you know what you want, you need to know how to ask for it. Verbal intelligence helps you know what to say. Nonverbal intelligence helps you deliver your message powerfully with body language.

Why Effective Communication Matters

A two-way street

You can be an excellent speaker and know how to share your ideas, but if you can’t listen you can’t communicate effectively. On the other hand, you can be an exceptional listener, but if you can’t share your ideas then you can’t communicate effectively either.

Effective communication is important for all areas of a company:

• Management is easier, and team building is smoother
• Morale improves with healthy workplace communication
• Creative energy flows better
• Information is passed on effectively
• Trust and acceptance build in the workplace
• Customer satisfaction is boosted
• Productivity increases

No matter how great your resume is, if you can’t interview you won’t get the job. No matter how skilled you are, if you can’t build rapport with colleagues or present at a meeting you won’t do well at work.

How to Communicate Effectively at Work

Four essential strategies

I want to get you started with a specific set of interpersonal skills to communicate more effectively at work. The question is—HOW do you communicate effectively in the workplace?

What’s your goal? Effective communicators know why they are communicating. They go into a conversation with a goal or outcome in mind—something tangible like assigning work roles, or something like building morale.

Who’s your audience? People need to be communicated with differently. An introvert might like to prepare ahead of time, while an extrovert loves brainstorming out loud.

Don’t forget about your body language! Communicating effectively also means your nonverbal is congruent with your words.

Virtual communication matters. Effective communication doesn’t just happen in-person—it also happens over the phone and in virtual team settings.

How to Speak With Your Hands

20 powerful gestures

Hand gestures are an often overlooked aspect of effective communication. Research has found that our hand gestures can emphasize or destroy our verbal message depending on how we use them.

What to Do If Your Boss is in a Bad Mood

Managing up effectively

Learning how to effectively deal with toxic people is an important communication skill. Hopefully, that toxic person is not your boss, but here are some skills for managing up and how to help a boss snap out of a bad mood.

How to Communicate Effectively on the Phone

Master every medium

Effective communication doesn’t only take place in person. In today’s hectic world you also communicate via text, via voice on the phone or conference call, via video and on social media. You need to be able to communicate in a diverse set of mediums.

Be an Incredible Public Speaker

Nail every presentation

You probably public speak more than you realize. Do you lead team calls? Do you speak up at meetings? Do you give toasts at weddings? Then you public speak! Be sure you have the skills to nail every presentation, toast or impromptu speech.

Use Verbal Communication Effectively

Start conversations with confidence

Do you need a little more help communicating verbally? Start right at the start of your conversations—the opener! Most people struggle with how to open a conversation or approach someone new.

Communicate Effectively at Conferences

Network like a pro

A hyper-specific communication skill is being able to network, build connections and schmooze at conferences. These tips will guide you through networking like a conference pro.

Be More Likable

Authentic charisma

Being an effective communicator is also about increasing your likability. How do you deliver your message, your first impression, your charisma in a way that feels authentic?

Communicating With Narcissists

Handle difficult personalities

Do you suspect you have a narcissist in your life? You need to have exceptional communication skills to deal with narcissists—they are one of the most difficult types of difficult people.

Continue Your Communication Journey

Explore more resources to master every aspect of effective communication.

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