Speaker 1: Effective Communication Skills in the Workplace While schooling prepares us for some things, there usually isn't enough of a focus on how to communicate effectively. This can leave professionals with no idea what to focus on to improve their skills or where they may be lacking. Luckily, communication skills are easy to build as long as we retain awareness of them. Listening While this one seems like a no-brainer, you might not be shocked by how many co-workers and bosses fail this basic skill test. Being a good listener is the most advised way to communicate because you understand the conversation much better if you know what's been said. Tip to Improve Listening Five steps to practice active listening. 1. Pay attention. 2. Ask clarifying questions. 3. Rephrase what they said to ensure understanding. 4. Repeat as needed. Friendliness Miss Manners loves this one for a reason. Being friendly and creating an open environment go a long way in workplace communications. Smiles are great for this, as long as they are genuine. Being friendly lets people feel like they can and should talk to you. Tips to Improve Friendliness Personalize whenever possible. When you're sending an email or seeing someone in the hall, saying hi Bill or good morning Susan, how was your coffee today? Makes you more approachable. Smile. Think of something funny to make it genuine and natural. Open-Mindedness Being open-minded is the ability to consider other points of view without staunchly sticking to your own. Open-minded workers are not married to their own ideas, opening communication channels, and idea workshopping. This makes everyone feel valid and supported. Tip to Improve Open-Mindedness Adopt a policy of listening to reasoning before every decision is made. Try phrases like, this is my reasoning, can you explain yours, and we can agree which we should go with? Or, can you help me understand your point of view? Feedback Giving and receiving feedback is a critical skill in every workplace. Without feedback, workers cannot know whether their methods are effective or need improvement. Therefore, everyone should look for ways to improve their feedback skills when giving and receiving. Tip to Improve Feedback Try not to focus on buts. We often hear people start feedback with a compliment that is immediately erased by a but. For example, I liked the layout of this presentation, but your content wasn't right. Instead, use the compliment sandwich. The presentation was great visually, and I really liked the layout. Once we work on elevating the content, it'll be perfect. Since you already have such a great organization of the ideas, we should be able to punch the content up easily. Are you enjoying this video so far? Please give us feedback by liking or disliking this episode. Thank you. Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication accounts for 70 to 93% of communication, meaning that even when we're silent, people get up to 93% of a message, even if it's not the one we think we're sending. So, by learning how to leverage nonverbal communication properly, we can ensure we're sending the right message. Tips to Improve Nonverbal Communication Make and maintain eye contact to show you're paying attention, but don't stare. If they're not looking at you, and you've been looking longer than 5 seconds, you're staring. Relax your stance, uncross your arms, relax your shoulders, and pay attention to what your face is doing. Communicate Effectively Effective communication often boils down to remembering that you are not the only participant in conversations or communication. The other person needs to be considered for communication to consider both parties' viewpoints, ideas, and development. If you want to become a better communicator, download a free e-book, How to Talk to Anyone, 10 Simple Tricks to Have a Meaningful Conversation, at www.selfimprovementvault.com or check the link in the description.