Communication begins with your birth! You have been communicating since you were born. The way babies cry to get their parents’ attention, it’s beyond words. As we grow, we tend to develop more sophisticated ways of letting people know what we want, as well as listening to others.
Everyone knows how to communicate, but not everyone is good at communication in study place, work and beyond.
What To Do?
To be a good communicator you need to get across your ideas and opinions well, but also listen to others and take their ideas into consideration. Effective communication means that everyone is on the same page.
Five specific things to improve your communication skills
There are specific things to do that can improve your communication skills.
Five important communication skills to work on as a school student are:
- Check your Body language
This is important for face-to-face class discussions and video conferencing. Make sure that you appear accessible, so have open body language. This means that you should not cross your arms and keep an eye contact so that the other person knows that you are paying attention.
- Listen, listen, and listen
People want to know that they are being heard. Really listen to what the other person is saying, instead of formulating your response. Ask for clarification to avoid misunderstandings. At that moment, the person speaking to you should be the most important person in your life. Another important point is to have one conversation at a time. This means that if you are speaking to someone on the phone, do not respond to an email, or send a text at the same time. The other person will know that she doesn’t have your undivided attention.
- Ask questions
It’s okay to clarify! Asking questions is one of the ways we learn and improve our understanding. Poor communication and miscommunications can be a result of misunderstandings. Clarifying a point with someone can also demonstrate to others that we are listening.
- Be brief and to the point
The best way to achieve clarity is to be concise. To ensure we are understood by others it sometimes helps to know what we are going to say before we say it. It’s best to think about the main message we want to convey and write a few short, sharp sentences that expresses this. Remember it helps to be specific!
5. Be respectful.
Respect and dignity are the two most crucial factors. Your words, style , body language all will fall behind if you are not respectful towards others. Remember, the idea of respect is just more than being polite.
By: Ms. Nazia Asif