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Abstract

the way you carry yourself during the conversation speaks volumes.</p><h2 id="603d">Step 4: Be specific with your talking points</h2><p id="28e9">You need to be specific when communicating positively with others. Of course, chit chat is different. However, if you want to have an in-depth conversation with someone, you need to specifically state your case.</p><p id="be6a">Focus on your goals. Don’t veer off down all types of rabbit trails. Staying focused shows the listener that you value their time and are not interested in wasting it. No one wants to waste time and talk with someone who is only interested in hearing their own voice.</p><h2 id="8587">Step 5: Contribute Don’t Just Receive</h2><p id="50bb">Find a balance between contributing positively to the conversation and not just receiving. You don’t want to be a conversation hog. A productive conversation involves a free exchange of balanced give and take.</p><p id="2fcf">Of course, the conversation may not be split equally. However, if the communication is going to be effective, you both need to fairly balance the time of sharing.</p><h2 id="9464">Step 6: Be open-minded</h2><p id="45f4">Having an in-depth conversation involves maintaining an open mind. If you are too rigid and continually focus on your own ideas, you won’t have a productive conversation.</p><p id="7051" type="7">Sure, people will never agree all the time. That would be impossible and disingenuous. Be prepared for disagreements. However, don’t go into war in your conversations.</p><p id="2b87">Be careful to listen to the other person’s ideas and try to see the situation from their perspective. Always share your opinion in a civil manner — otherwise, you will not continue to grow and develop as an emotionally mature adult.</p><h2 id="e03c">Step 7: Embrace humility</h2><p id="b5ef">No one likes hanging out with egotistical people. At least, I know I don’t like to speak to people like that — where conversations are completely one-sided. These types of people generally tend to dominate the conversation with an argumentative tone.</p><p id="f5a2">Become more empathetic and keep your ego out of it. Discover how to embrace humility and understand that you can learn from others if you let go of your pride.</p><h2 id="41e6">Step 8: Context is so important</h2><p id="de77">If you want to be more empathetic like step 7 described, start to read between the lines and understand the context of the conversation. Someone may tell you that they are fine. However, their face is showing a different story. Dig deeper and find out what the person is truly feeling.</p><p id="9393">People who see beyond the surface l

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evel in conversations and in the written word, will learn on a deeper level with each conversation they have and article they read. They are open to finding those deeper golden nuggets of truth.</p><h2 id="8b5a">Step 9: Stick to What You Know</h2><p id="59d0">This step pertains more specifically to the workplace environment or your professional career. Don’t conjure up facts and figures and share this as genuine information. Make sure you do your research if you need to have a deeper conversation at work where facts are important. If you don’t have all the facts, share that and finish the conversation later when you do.</p><p id="d6b4">Make sure you apply this same high standard to your written communications as well. You don’t want to intentionally or accidentally mislead people with your written content simply because you lacked vital research skills.</p><h2 id="f8f4">Step 10: Don’t let your temper flare</h2><p id="b681">Conversations that involve anger from one or both parties are not a conversation — but rather an argument. Sure, disagreements will happen. However, it’s vital to disagree respectfully and in a polite manner.</p><p id="0492" type="7">You’re never going to have a productive conversation if you allow anger to enter into it.</p><p id="082b">By following steps one through nine, you are more likely to have a conversation that doesn’t involve angry emotions and outbursts.</p><h2 id="6e18">Develop Better Communication Skills</h2><p id="f44b">If you want to develop better communication skills, follow the steps in this article. You can also take this free <a href="http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm">online communication quiz</a> from MindTools.com. This online resource provides users with 15 statements to respond to so their communication skill level can be identified and rated.</p><div id="370c"><pre>Read <span class="hljs-keyword">every</span> story <span class="hljs-keyword">from</span> JM Troppello (<span class="hljs-keyword">and</span> thousands <span class="hljs-keyword">of</span> other writers <span class="hljs-keyword">on</span> Medium). Your membership fee directly supports JM Troppello <span class="hljs-keyword">and</span> other writers you <span class="hljs-built_in">read</span>. You'll also <span class="hljs-keyword">get</span> full access <span class="hljs-keyword">to</span> <span class="hljs-keyword">every</span> story <span class="hljs-keyword">on</span> Medium. Sign up <span class="hljs-keyword">for</span> membership here <span class="hljs-keyword">for</span> only $<span class="hljs-number">5</span> per <span class="hljs-built_in">month</span>.</pre></div></article></body>

Ten Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills

Effective communication can improve your life and career

Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash

Communication skills are an important factor in having successful relationships — both in your personal life and career. To enhance your communication skills, you must speak, listen, write, and read well.

There are three communication channels to cultivate in your life:

· In-Person

· Spoken Word

· Written Content

To communicate effectively, you need to send and receive messages the right way. This article delves into ten steps on how to improve your communication skills.

Step 1: Become a better listener

Maintain good communication levels in all aspects of your life by becoming a better listener. Don’t talk over someone. Balance the amount of time you spend talking and the time your counterpart is speaking to you.

Effectively hear what the other person is saying, while actively retaining the information that is transmitted. This can enhance the communication process for both the sender and receiver.

Step 2: Maintain good eye contact

Eye contact is a vital part of communicating well with others. Not looking the other person in the eyes may indicate that you don’t care what they’re saying, or you have something to hide.

Shut out distractions, such as cell phones, so you can clearly hear what the person is saying and show them that you care.

The quickest way to show disrespect to someone you’re speaking to is to keep checking your phone for messages or scrolling through social media — and not looking them in the eye.

Step 3: Remain friendly

Body language is another important factor in productive communication. Crossing your arms shows that you are blocked off and may not be interested in listening. Be friendly and keep your hands free to gesture in an approachable attitude.

Impersonal attitudes will let the person know you don’t care to listen. You may not realize it, but the way you carry yourself during the conversation speaks volumes.

Step 4: Be specific with your talking points

You need to be specific when communicating positively with others. Of course, chit chat is different. However, if you want to have an in-depth conversation with someone, you need to specifically state your case.

Focus on your goals. Don’t veer off down all types of rabbit trails. Staying focused shows the listener that you value their time and are not interested in wasting it. No one wants to waste time and talk with someone who is only interested in hearing their own voice.

Step 5: Contribute Don’t Just Receive

Find a balance between contributing positively to the conversation and not just receiving. You don’t want to be a conversation hog. A productive conversation involves a free exchange of balanced give and take.

Of course, the conversation may not be split equally. However, if the communication is going to be effective, you both need to fairly balance the time of sharing.

Step 6: Be open-minded

Having an in-depth conversation involves maintaining an open mind. If you are too rigid and continually focus on your own ideas, you won’t have a productive conversation.

Sure, people will never agree all the time. That would be impossible and disingenuous. Be prepared for disagreements. However, don’t go into war in your conversations.

Be careful to listen to the other person’s ideas and try to see the situation from their perspective. Always share your opinion in a civil manner — otherwise, you will not continue to grow and develop as an emotionally mature adult.

Step 7: Embrace humility

No one likes hanging out with egotistical people. At least, I know I don’t like to speak to people like that — where conversations are completely one-sided. These types of people generally tend to dominate the conversation with an argumentative tone.

Become more empathetic and keep your ego out of it. Discover how to embrace humility and understand that you can learn from others if you let go of your pride.

Step 8: Context is so important

If you want to be more empathetic like step 7 described, start to read between the lines and understand the context of the conversation. Someone may tell you that they are fine. However, their face is showing a different story. Dig deeper and find out what the person is truly feeling.

People who see beyond the surface level in conversations and in the written word, will learn on a deeper level with each conversation they have and article they read. They are open to finding those deeper golden nuggets of truth.

Step 9: Stick to What You Know

This step pertains more specifically to the workplace environment or your professional career. Don’t conjure up facts and figures and share this as genuine information. Make sure you do your research if you need to have a deeper conversation at work where facts are important. If you don’t have all the facts, share that and finish the conversation later when you do.

Make sure you apply this same high standard to your written communications as well. You don’t want to intentionally or accidentally mislead people with your written content simply because you lacked vital research skills.

Step 10: Don’t let your temper flare

Conversations that involve anger from one or both parties are not a conversation — but rather an argument. Sure, disagreements will happen. However, it’s vital to disagree respectfully and in a polite manner.

You’re never going to have a productive conversation if you allow anger to enter into it.

By following steps one through nine, you are more likely to have a conversation that doesn’t involve angry emotions and outbursts.

Develop Better Communication Skills

If you want to develop better communication skills, follow the steps in this article. You can also take this free online communication quiz from MindTools.com. This online resource provides users with 15 statements to respond to so their communication skill level can be identified and rated.

Read every story from JM Troppello (and thousands of other writers on Medium). Your membership fee directly supports JM Troppello and other writers you read. You'll also get full access to every story on Medium. Sign up for membership here for only $5 per month.