Truly successful professionals are leaders who have mastered the art of effective communication. They are well liked by colleagues (including subordinates and superiors), your company’s clients seem to like them too, and they always seem to close the most important deals.
It may seem that these people were blessed with a knack for speaking well, and perhaps they were. But everything can be learned, including how to talk like a star.
Apply these 5 C’s of effective communication to enhance your relationships and embark on the path to greater professional success:
1. Articulate clearly
If your listeners can’t understand what you’re saying, your message will never be effective. The easiest way to instantly improve the clarity of your speech is to slow down. When we get nervous or stressed, our rate of speaking often increases. And these are the moments when calm eloquence and tact are most needed. Take a deep breath, slow down, and speak clearly.
It is also important to formulate your thoughts clearly so that other people can understand your message. Stick to your main point, be as concise as possible, and support your arguments with examples and stories that make sense to your listener.
2.Speak correctly
Whether you like it or not, you will be judged based on the way you speak. People with poor grammar and sloppy speech patterns are often seen as lazy, uneducated, and even disrespectful.
Make proper speech a priority. Improve your grammar skills and build a healthy vocabulary. Read as much as you can, ask your friends, family, or colleagues for help, or join a grammar refresher course.
You may not see this as a very important point, but as our world becomes more global, just speaking English is not enough. You have to speak it very well.
3. Be considerate
Even before you open your mouth, focus on being considerate of everyone you meet. Make eye contact with people when they approach you. Have a good attitude and show off your winning smile.
Show that you care about others by asking questions and showing interest. Remember the personal details that are important to them and build a relationship that is about more than just the job at hand. Limited small talk is a must for building rapport and stronger relationships in the workplace.
If you are considerate of others, they will also treat you with care and respect. We all like to work with people we like, so your goal should be to please others. The way to do this is by being kind, considerate, and showing interest.
4. Give compliments
In addition to being considerate, another way to establish an instant rapport is to give sincere compliments. Recognize those around you for a job well done. Show interest by congratulating others on their accomplishments.
If your colleague mentions that they finally finished that big project that you know they’ve been slaving away on for months, respond with a heartfelt “Great job!” or “Good for you!” These types of comments are always appreciated.
Keep in mind that compliments should be subtle and appropriate and the closeness of your relationship also determines how a compliment will be received. Commenting on a colleague’s physical appearance, for example, may not be acceptable in the modern workplace, unless you are also very close friends outside of the office.
5. Be confident
In the end, a successful communicator is a confident communicator. It’s hard to take someone seriously who doesn’t seem to believe their own words.
Confidence comes not only from what you are verbalizing (saying), but also from what you are vocalizing—in other words, the rate, pitch, and volume of your voice. A calm, steady voice that we can hear always sounds louder and more confident than a quiet, timid squeak.
Your visual appearance can also exude or be inspired by confidence. Be sure to stand up straight and make steady eye contact when addressing other people. Even the least confident people can “fake” a trustworthy image simply by forcing themselves to do these two simple things.
