Whether you’re new to the English language or a native speaker looking to sharpen your skills, the keys to communication are simple. Sharper communication helps you exchange ideas faster and more clearly. These tips also come in handy if you have a parent suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Use Short, Direct Sentences
When speaking with someone you feel might not understand you, use direct statements to express a thought or ask a question, the Family Caregiver Alliance says. People often avoid being direct because they feel it might be rude, when in reality, they’re making it harder for the other person to understand what they want. For example, instead of asking someone whether they wouldn’t mind if you borrowed a pen because you’ll return it right away, shorten your query to the simple but effective, “May I borrow a pen?”
Practice Your Enunciation
Native and non-native speakers often have poor enunciation. When listeners can’t understand the individual words you’re speaking, they have to stop and decipher them one at a time. While they’re doing that, how can they absorb the overall meaning of what you’re saying? The Hansen Communication Lab, which helps Singapore-based businesses learn English and refine their enunciation, advises clients to use shorter sentences, pause between words and clearly pronounce all word endings--especially those that end in “s” and “ed.”
Tape Yourself
When you’re involved in a conversation or giving a speech, you might not know you’re using an ineffective communication strategy. Inc. magazine tells the tale of Johnsonville Foods CEO Ralph Stayer, who began recording staff meetings only to discover he discouraged employee interaction by answering his own questions during the meetings. Try recording your speech or an English-language conversation with a friend. Analyze your performance to be sure you’re speaking slowly, clearly and giving other people time to respond.
Use Specific Language
In “The Challenge of Effective Speaking,” authors Rudolph Verdeber, Kathleen Verderber and Deanna Sellnow explain that vague descriptions often lead to confusion—a hallmark of bad communication. Try to describe things and people as specifically as you can so they see just what you see. For example, if you see a car involved in an accident and call the police, what would you tell them? If you tell them a “blue car” just got hit, they have a lot of work to do to find out more. If you tell them a “blue Mazda Miata” got hit “at the corner of Main and Elm,” they know just what to look for.
Ask Questions
Communication is about more than what you have to say; it’s also about understanding what someone else says to you. If you’re speaking with someone and you can’t hear her voice or don’t understand a word she uses, it’s OK to stop and ask for clarification. If you don’t know how to start, begin your question with, “What do you mean when you say…” or “If I understand correctly, you’re saying that…"
References
- The Family Caregiver Alliance: Guidelines for Better Communication
- Hansen Communication Lab: Speak Clearly, Correctly and Confidently
- Inc. Magazine: Just Listen to Yourself
- Google Books: The Challenge of Effective Speaking by Rudolph F. Verderber, Kathleen S. Verderber, Deanna D. Sellnow
- Cornell Local Roads Program: Effective Communication Skills
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