How to improve communication skills in 10 steps – Viewpoint

Having left England to work in several countries over the past 25 years, it’s fair to say that I’ve had to adapt in a number of ways. First and foremost, wherever I’ve been, I’ve had to reevaluate the way I communicate. 

In fact, I’d say that many of the challenges I expected to face each time revolved around this. For example, would I be able to convey my ideas to colleagues, partners and clients? Do I need to adapt my leadership style? 

It was moving to Japan that really made me stop and think about the ways we communicate. Although the majority of my professional conversations were happening with other foreign nationals or fluent English speakers, things were very different outside the business world. Most people spoke little to no English, while certain customs – such as blowing one’s nose in public – are deemed highly inappropriate! 

Why is it important to improve communication skills? 

Nose blowing aside, improving your communication skills is important for long-term career success. While this applies at all stages of your career, it’s particularly useful if you’re looking to take on a leadership role. Improvement here will help you to: 

Which methods of communication need to be improved? 

In my opinion, there are three primary branches of personal communication: 

1. Verbal communication 

2. Non-verbal communication (such as body language) 

3. Communication via a third party (such as technology). 

10 ways to improve your communication skills 

1. Listen 

This be a bit of a cliché, but it’s true. Success in the workplace is about collaboration, which is extremely difficult to achieve when one colleague refuses to listen to another’s point of view. Listening to others means learning something new, while leaders should ensure that any discussions are comprised of equal contributions from all parties – this improves the chances of a successful result and earns respect in the process. 

 2. Check your body language 

A highly regarded study found that 55% of all communication is actually non-verbal. Of course, it’s difficult to be so precise consistently, but the point stands that body language significantly impacts people’s perception of you. 

How can you monitor and improve this? Try to avoid defensive actions, such as crossing your arms while talking to someone. Conducting meetings over video has made this easier – you can check your appearance to make sure you look engaged (don’t look too often, though, or it’ll have the opposite effect!) 

This brings me to the next point… 

3. Where possible, communicate in person 

Let’s be clear, this doesn’t mean insisting that every meeting you have is face to face. In fact, every point on this list can be applied when working remotely or in a hybrid model. 

What I’m talking about is, when together in person, sending an email or message to somebody sat close by enough that you could speak to. Why? These forms of communication could be misinterpreted – the recipient doesn’t have the benefit of hearing your tone of voice or seeing your body language. It might take more confidence, though, which leads me to… 

4. Project confidence 

This can be a tricky one to get right, but it goes a long way in improving your communication skills. Speaking with conviction – without coming across as arrogant or too overbearing – is one of the best ways to get your point across and build faith in your insights and ideas. 

Don’t worry if this don’t come naturally to you. In fact, the very action of pretending that you’re confident will go a long way. Here are seven ways to communicate more confidently. 

5. Know your audience 

There are many ways in which your audience will differ and it’s your challenge to cater for them in the way that you communicate. Think about: 

• The person you’re communicating with: This is particularly important for leaders. You’ll need to know how to motivate each member of your team – and I can guarantee you it won’t be the same across the board. Get more advice on that here. 

• How knowledgeable your audience is: Are you speaking to subject-matter experts, or do you need to provide more background information to fill them in? 

• The purpose of the communication: Is this an informal catch-up? Or are you presenting to senior stakeholders? Adapt your tone and style accordingly. 

• The method of communication: If you’re talking in person, how much information will the audience retain? Similarly, you don’t want to pack an email full of data. Use slide decks to get across key information – save the in-depth insights for reports. 

6. Be sensitive to cultural differences 

As I alluded to in the introduction, you must remain aware of what is regarded as improper etiquette in other cultures. It’s your obligation to do your research and conduct yourself in a way that doesn’t offend. 

7. Think about the when and how 

To communicate effectively, it’s important to be completely focused and engaged. This may seem obvious but, in today’s working world where many communications are no longer in person, it can he harder to judge. 

Is the recipient ready themselves? If so, what’s the best way to communicate? While an in-person conversation or a video call is optimal, an email makes it easier to pass on important information that the recipient may need to retain or reference. In which case, do you need to call to provide additional context? 

8. Stay cool 

Being stressed happens. As much as we try, sometimes it’s unavoidable and overwhelming. However, those moments of frustration should not be the times to resolve a serious situation. 

Why? It’s on occasions that you’re most likely to misinterpret the other person or say something regrettable. I’d advise standing back and taking time to consider the situation comprehensively before proceeding. Likewise, when writing a blunt email, save a draft first and return to it later before sending. 

Of course, there are some situations where you’ll have to act immediately. My advice would be to try and remove any emotion, instead focusing on what’s actually being said. It can be tricky to separate the other person and the message, but you must remain professional for your own sake. 

9. Give and receive feedback 

You can’t avoid giving feedback in leadership. It’s also a valuable device in more junior or contractor roles, too. You can find advice on how to do this effectively here. 

Likewise, you must be amenable to receiving feedback. You may not necessarily find it useful, but it’s an important form of communication and shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand. Read more on being open to feedback here. 

10. Use humour 

My final point isn’t always applicable and, like acting confidently, won’t come naturally to everyone. However, humour remains an effective tool in improving your communication skills. Use it for: 

• Brightening uneventful conversations 
• Breaking the ice during a presentation 
• Defusing tense situations 
• Showing that you’re friendly and approachable 

Looking for more guidance on soft skills? Read our blogs: 

Author

Marc has broad industry and functional expertise, with a proven track record of continued success and has led and grown businesses in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Prior to working in the recruitment industry, Marc held various sales and marketing management positions in the automotive industry. He has extensive business transformation and change management experience and is adept at building, developing and leading cross functional teams. Marc was a board member for the Leadership Institute of New Zealand and studied strategy at Ashridge International Business School.