Communication skills are considered to be one of the most important soft skills – soft skills are abilities that relate to the way you work and interact with other people.
These skills are most required by employers. Statistics have it that 93% of employers want to see soft skills on their resume.
Developing communication skills plays important role in our personal and professional lives. There is no effective communication unless you possess those skills.
In this guide, we will discuss the meaning of communication skills, signs of poor communication skills, benefits of communication skills, the 7 C’s of effective communication skills, types of communication skills, and how to improve your communication skills.
Table of Contents
What are Communication Skills?
Communication is the process of sending and receiving information or messages and can be one-on-one or between a group of people.
Communication skills are the ability to share and receive different types of information. It is one of the most important interpersonal skills.
What are the signs of poor communication skills?
Your communication skills require improvement if you possess any of the following qualities:Â
- Interrupting while the other person is talking
- Poor listening skills
- Talking too much
- Lack of eye contact
- Asking questions at an inappropriate time
- Not asking relevant questions
- Excess use of verbal fillers
- Too much focus on the speaker instead of the message
- Making assumptions
- Distractions
- Not paying attention to non-verbal cues
- Lack of confidence while speaking
- Thinking about what to say when someone is talking to you.
- Speaking without thinking
- Sending mixed messages – when non-verbal cues don’t match the message (spoken) conveyed
- Not clear and concise.
If you have noticed any of these signs when you communicate with people, then you have poor communication skills. But don’t worry, just like other skills, effective communication skills can be developed and improved.
What are the 7 C’s of Effective Communication?
The 7 C’s of communication provide a checklist for making sure that a message or information is well constructed.
Below are the 7 C’s of Communication:Â
- Clear:
The message must be clear and easy to understand, you can achieve this by using simple words. The recipient must be able to easily identify the purpose of your message.
- Concise:
The message must be concise i.e. stick to the point and keep it short. Avoid long sentences and try to convey your messages in a few words.
- Correct:
The message must be correct i.e. must be accurate and error-free. There should be no grammatical or spelling errors.
- Complete:
The message must be complete i.e. include all the necessary information required by the receiver. Avoid including irrelevant information.
- Courteous:
The message must be courteous i.e must display the sender’s respect for the receiver. Courteous messages are not biased at all.
- Concrete:
The message must be concrete i.e. specific and based on solid facts from credible sources. Concrete messages are specific, clear, and supported with specific facts and figures.
- Considerate:
The message must be considerate i.e. you must consider your audience’s knowledge level, background, mindset e.t.c.
Types of Communication Skills
There are five main types of communication skills, which are:Â
- Verbal communication skills
- Nonverbal communication skillsÂ
- Written communication skillsÂ
- Visual communication skillsÂ
- Listening communication skills.
1. Verbal Communication Skills
Verbal communication refers to the use of spoken words to convey messages. Although, verbal communication may include the use of written words.
Verbal communication skills are the ability to accurately receive and deliver messages verbally.
Below are some examples of good verbal communication skills:Â
- Active listening
- Pronouncing your words correctly
- Giving feedback when appropriate
- Using appropriate language, volume, and tone
- Pay attention to non-verbal cues
- Using normal speaking rate; not too fast and not too slow
- Listening to others without interrupting
- Speaking with confidence.
Examples of Verbal communication include:Â
- Press conferences
- Campaigns
- Public speeches
- Phone calls
- Debates
- Presentations
- Dialogue in films, TV shows e.t.c.
- Lectures
- Board meetings.
2. Nonverbal Communication Skills
Nonverbal communication is the process of conveying a message without the use of spoken or written words.
This method of communication uses Nonverbal cues like eye contact, gestures, distance, personal appearance, time e.t.c to convey messages.
Nonverbal communication skills are the ability to encode and decode non-verbal cues.
Encoding refers to the ability to convey messages in a way that can be accurately interpreted by the receivers.
Decoding refers to the ability to accurately interpret the encoded messages.
Below are some examples of non-verbal communication:Â
- Handwave
- Folding your arms
- Winking
- Slouching
- Jewelry
- Tattoos
- Clothes e.t.c
3. Written Communication Skills
Written communication refers to the use of written words to convey messages. It is the most used method of communication in professional settings.
Written communication skills are the ability to effectively communicate using written words.
Effective written communication requires the following skills:Â
- Appropriate use of punctuations
- Construction of correct sentences
- Knowledge of basic grammar rules
- Appropriate use of language and tone
- Usage of certain editing tools or software.
Examples of written communication include:Â
- Emails
- Letter
- Bulletin
- Memos
- Proposals
- Blog post
- Instant messages
- Questionnaires
- Postcards
- Instructional materials e.g. Ebooks
- Press release e.t.c.
4. Visual Communication Skills
Visual communication refers to the use of visual elements to convey messages. This method of communication is often used in presentations, website content, advertisements, social media posts e.t.c.
Visual communication skills are the ability to convey messages using visual elements. It is also the ability to interpret the meaning of the messages received by the eyes.
Examples of Visual communication include:Â
- Slide deck
- Process diagrams
- Mind maps
- Road maps
- Diagrams
- Images
- Videos
- GIFs e.t.c.
5. Listening Communication Skills
Listening is different from hearing. Hearing is the process of perceiving sound, while listening is the act of intentionally working to understand the sounds (messages) received.
Listening communication skills are the ability to accurately receive and interpret the information or messages conveyed to you.
People with excellent listening skills possess the following qualities:Â
- Listening without interruptions
- Maintain eye contact and don’t state
- No judgments
- Support the speaker with affirmative words
- Avoid distractions
- Aware of non-verbal cues.
Benefits of Effective Communication Skills
Effective communication skills play a lot of roles in our lives, both personal and professional lives. Below are some of the benefits of effective communication skills:Â
1. It creates better relationshipsÂ
Communicating effectively prevents misunderstanding and conflicts, which fosters good relationships at personal and professional levels.
Active listening makes people feel heard and respected, which can in turn create better relationships.
2. It improves productivityÂ
When you understand a piece of information or instruction clearly, you are more likely to be productive. Getting a clearer understanding of instruction can help you perform efficiently.
For example, Students who practice active listening during lectures will perform better in examinations or tests.
3. Provides clarity
Good communicators have the ability to deliver messages clearly and concisely.
Also, when information is communicated effectively, the recipient will quickly understand its purpose.
4. Prevents and resolves conflicts
Most times, conflicts arise due to poor communication. The ability to communicate effectively plays a significant role in resolving conflicts.
Effective communication also reduces the risks of misinterpretation, misunderstanding, and conflicts.
5. It improves teamwork
Effective communication is required to make teamwork projects successful. With effective communication, team members will be able to communicate ideas effectively.
6. Increase the chances of getting a new job
Besides high GPAs, most employers want to employ people with good communication skills.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 73.4% of employers want a candidate with strong written communication skills and 69.6% of employers want a candidate with strong verbal communication skills.
Good written communication skills can also help you create proposals or cover letters that can win a new job.
Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills
Having good communication skills is important in every aspect of life, from personal to professional life.
The tips mentioned below can help improve your communication skills.Â
- Consider your audienceÂ
- Be preparedÂ
- Be clear and conciseÂ
- Practice active listeningÂ
- Pay attention to nonverbal cuesÂ
- Pronounce your words correctlyÂ
- Be confidentÂ
- Ask questionsÂ
- Avoid the use of jargonÂ
- Practice.
1. Consider your audience
There is no communication unless the receiver fully understands the messages conveyed. So, you must always keep your audience in your mind.
To achieve this, you should consider their needs, expectations, knowledge level e.t.c. You should also identify the purpose of your messages and convey it to them in an easy-to-understand way.
2. Be preparedÂ
Before any speech or presentation, make sure you fully understand the topic or issue you are going to discuss.
Research the topic, jot down some ideas, and practice the way you are going to deliver the messages.
3. Be clear and concise
All messages should be clear and concise, your audience must be able to easily understand the messages conveyed.
Make sure you communicate with simple words, stick to the point, and don’t include irrelevant details.
4. Practice active listening
To be a good communicator, you must be an active listener. Active listening skills are required in every form of communication.
You should always pay full attention and avoid distractions when the speaker is still talking.
5. Pay attention to non-verbal cues
Research suggests that 55% of communication takes place through non-verbal communication. Nonverbal cues like eye contact, gestures, body postures, distance e.t.c are capable of conveying thousands of messages.
You should always maintain appropriate body postures during conversations, and avoid the use of negative body language like crossed arms, hunched shoulders e.t.c.
6. Pronounce your words correctly
Always get your pronunciations right and avoid speaking too fast. If you are not sure of how to pronounce a word, don’t use it.
If you are not sure of the meaning of a word, don’t use it. Check a dictionary for the meaning and pronunciations of words you don’t know.
You should also make reading a habit to improve your vocabulary. Reading regularly has a lot of benefits which include improved vocabulary.
7. Be confident
Always have the courage to say what you think, so far it is relevant and meaningful. Don’t be shy or scared to contribute when you engage in any conversation.
During presentations or public speeches, make sure you talk confidently, avoid looking down and make sure you maintain eye contact with your audience. Your audience may doubt the credibility of your message if you don’t deliver the message confidently.
8. Ask questions
If you don’t understand a message, you should ask clarifying questions rather than making assumptions.
When mixed messages are sent, you can ask questions to gain clarification. Make sure you ask questions at the appropriate time; when the speaker is done talking.
9. Avoid the use of jargon
Don’t try to impress with complex words or jargon. Jargons are special words used by experts in a certain discipline or field.
If the person you are communicating with is not in the same field as you, avoid the use of jargon. Jargon can cause misunderstanding.
10. PracticeÂ
Developing effective communication skills require a lot of practice. You can practice by implementing the above tips in your daily conversations.
You can also watch videos of communication experts to learn more tips.
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Conclusion
Whether at a personal level or professional level, communication skills are important in every aspect of our lives.
Students who possess effective communication skills are more attractive to employers than those that don’t.
Improving or developing communication skills will help you connect better with your friends, colleagues, boss, family members e.t.c.
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