According to an early study by the Carnegie Foundation, soft skills such as communication link to job success. Plus, a study conducted by Forbes found, “90% of top performers are also high in emotional intelligence.”
Can Communication Skills Be Learned?
Yes! You can learn communication skills.
No matter who you are, everyone can grow in their communication ability.
Whether you’re already amazing at communication or looking to find the skills you’ve always wished came naturally, communication skills training can help.
What is Communication Skills Training?
Communication skills training helps you overcome the common blocks of effective communication. It provides soft skills such as building trust, communicating with power, and understanding nonverbals. Here are examples of communication skills you should learn in advanced communication training.
- How to read body language
- How to make a great first impression
- How to present your ideas effectively
- How to negotiate
- How to carry a memorable conversation with anyone
- How to politely disagree and disengage arguments
- How to talk to VIPs, bosses, and clients
- How to talk about money
- How to work a room
- How to craft a confident presence
- How to read facial expressions
- How to build trust
- How to speak with assertiveness
- How to speak effectively on the phone
- How to write better emails
When you have a strong grasp of communication, you can better read others, be more thoughtful and calm during interactions, have more confidence even in challenging conversations, and better present your ideas.
According to a GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, soft skills are the top-rated skills employees are looking for in new hires. Additionally, the demand for interpersonal skills is growing; 57% of recruiters say that demand will continue to increase.
Whether you’re a new career professional or you’ve been in your industry for years, the ability to communicate effectively will positively impact your success in the workplace.
6 Signs of an Effective Communication Skills Training
If you do a quick Google search, you’ll find plenty of courses offering help. But, how do you choose the right one? We’ve identified six components essential in any communication skills training.
1. Space to ask questions.
As you learn how to communicate more effectively, you will have questions. Look for training that makes it easy to get answers and feedback. This can include office hours or email responses.
When you ask or hear a question, your mind becomes focused on only the answer to that question. This strengthens the neuronal pathways of your brain around the subject on hand, which helps you process and comprehend the material you are learning.
2. Challenges that activate learning at the end of every section.
According to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, we lose unreinforced information. Practicing skills as you learn them enables your brain to access the information later. The more you activate what you’ve learned, the easier it is to put it into practice – even in high-stress situations.
3. Science-based as well as real-life case studies.
Communication has a rich scientific history, and the most effective training will incorporate science alongside anecdotal evidence.
Why?
Science-backed training gives you proven facts. You’re not looking for magic tricks and information to help you manipulate others. Instead, you want effectively proven techniques and strategies.
4. Expect regularly updated content.
This is true in any industry, whether it’s SEO training or healthcare. No one wants to learn outdated SEO practices like keyword stuffing or dieting tips from the 80s. Communication skills training is the same.
While some communication principles and ideas may remain constant, there are always new studies and concepts that will make you an even more effective communicator. Look for training that isn’t stale and lifeless but is dynamic and fresh.
5. Look for someone who lives what they teach.
If you want actionable skills and not just theoretical communication ideas, you’ll need to find a teacher who lives what they teach.
Communication theory has its place, but you want training that takes you past book learning and gives you actionable skills for real life. How effective would it be to learn about charismatic communication from someone with a monotone voice and a forgettable presence?
As you look for the perfect training, look for someone who has skills you respect or admire. That is the kind of training that will change your life.
6. Expect Reciprocal Commitment.
Communication skills training is a commitment, and the best training will be just as committed to you as you are to the training. A program that takes you deep into learning the skills you’ll use daily is respecting your investment of time. Look for specific training that offers more than what you can find from an internet search.
What is The Best Communications Skills Training Course?
We might be a little biased, but we have spent the last 17 years studying people and put together what we think is the single best communication training on the market: People School. Simply put, it checks all the boxes!
With monthly workshops and practical advice, you’ll find that People School offers steps to implement immediately. People School moves past the basic skills and takes you through twelve advanced skills to give you a deeper understanding and transform how you communicate.
Skill 1: The Charisma Formula
Skill 2: Powerfully Share Ideas
Skill 3: Be Engaging
Skill 4: Capture Attention
Skill 5: Build Trust
Skill 6: Communicate With Power
Skill 7: The Likability Blueprint
Skill 8: Decode People
Skill 9: Master Conversation
Skill 10: Assert Yourself
Skill 11: Increase Your Influence
Skill 12: Strengthen Connections
These are all critical communication skills that will increase competency and confidence. You’ll see real changes in both your business and personal life by the end of the course. Interactive workshops, office hours, email support, and bonus materials all add up to make the best communication skills training.
Why Is Communication Training Important?
As a career professional, you understand the importance of prioritizing your personal and professional development. Communication training is a part of that development to boost your success as you increase your expertise and improve your communication skills.
According to Harvard Business Review, emotional connection with customers is the most important “competitive differentiator.” Essentially, what makes you stand out as an individual and as a company is how well you communicate. Whether you’re connecting with customers or coworkers, communication skills are vital for building an emotional connection.
In addition, teams and individuals who don’t communicate effectively can experience misunderstandings, missed deadlines, lost revenue, and unhappy people. Communication skills are essential for managers because they set the communication standard for their team.
Communication is a skill that impacts every area of your life. Thankfully, it’s also a skill you can learn. Whether you’re finding it difficult to pick up on nonverbal cues in meetings or can’t seem to get your point across, a lack of communication skills will undermine your confidence. It may not seem like it, but you can shift these things and take control of how you present yourself and interact with others.
Communication training gives you a competitive advantage. How does it do that? Vanessa shares the ten essential people skills every professional should know and exactly how they will impact your work life.
Can I Learn Communication Skills Through Online Courses?
You can absolutely learn communication skills online! What you learn online translates across various mediums. Just make sure they include skills to use on Zoom calls because communication skills are all about people. People School has entire sections on presenting and connecting over video and increasingly digital communication.
What Skills Do I Need to Have in Advance?
The most important skill you need to have in advance of the training is a willingness to grow and learn. Anyone can become a better communicator.
If you can leave behind your comfort zone, adopting an attitude of teachability, you will learn and grow.
Your communication personality may play a role, but communication styles don’t need to hold you back.
This might shock you. Extroverts aren’t automatically good communicators! Just because a person talks a lot or easily connects with others doesn’t make them a good communicator.
On the flip side, being an introvert is a secret strength!. If you are naturally quiet or take longer to connect with others, you still have the potential to be influential and charismatic without having to fake being extroverted.
Both personalities have real strengths. To become a good communicator, you need to find the uniqueness of who you are rather than comparing yourself to others.
If your strength is being assertive, you may need to pull back at times to give others the chance to speak as well.
If your strength is listening, you may need to grow your skills in being taken more seriously when you have something to say.
Regardless of our starting point, we all need to be more self-aware of what our communication strengths and weaknesses are.
What Are Good Books on Communication Skills Training?
Unlock the Secrets of Charisma
Control and leverage the tiny signals you’re sending – from your stance and facial expressions to your word choice and vocal tone – to improve your personal and professional relationships.
Succeed with People
Master the laws of human behavior. Get along with anyone, increasing your influence, impact, and income.
Key Takeaways for the Busy Professional
Here are the most important things you should know:
· Communication skills are vital to your career advancement and success.
· Studies show that soft skills directly correlate to job success.
· You don’t need any special skills before beginning training.
· The best communication skills training is backed by science.
· Look for training that offers office hours and action steps.
· Be willing to learn and grow, so you learn skills instead of just acquiring theory.
People School offers science-back training that will transform how you relate with others. Get started today!