Good Communication Tips

Having effective communication can help us better understand a person or situation. It helps us resolve differences, build trust, build respect, and create better environments. Effective communication can improve relationships at home, work, and any other social situation. Knowing how to better your communication will also give you the ability to deepen your connections with others and improve teamwork, decision making, and problem solving.

• Listening- One of the most important aspects of communication is listening. By listening to whoever you are talking to it will help make the speak feel heard and understood. Some ways to have effective listening are to focus on the speaker, avoid interrupting, avoid seeming judgmental, and show your interest in the speaker.  This will help improve your listening skills, which is essential for good communication. 

• Nonverbal Communication -Another important aspect of good communication is nonverbal communication, both yours and reading the speaker’s. This includes all of the wordless communication we do when we speak to others, body language, facial expressions, body movement, eye contact, posture, tone of voice and even muscle tension and breathing. Tips on how to read nonverbal communication are; to practice observing people, be aware of individual differences, and look at nonverbal communication signals as a group. When using nonverbal communication yourself it is important to use signals that match up with you words; it should reinforce what is being said. Adjust your nonverbal signals according to the context; example would be the tone of your voice should be different when talking to a child as opposed to an adult. Also use body language to convey positive feelings.

• Stress Management-Another helpful tip for effective communication is managing your stress.  Having stress can disrupt your ability to think clearly and act appropriately. There are a few ways to help control your stress while communicating; recognize when you are stressed, take a moment to calm down, take a few breaths to relax, look for humor in the situation, be willing to compromise, and agree to disagree. These will help to manage your stress levels so you can better communicate.

Above are just a few tips explained on how to have good communication skills. Being a good communicator also depends on the type of person or group of persons you are talking to. There are a number of different ways to better your communication in specific situations.  For more information go to:    http://www.assetproject.info/learner_support/communication_skills.htm