Human beings are social creatures, and effective communications skills are indispensable in social interactions and business alike. Unfortunately, as new technologies designed to make our lives easier have been developed, we've begun to communicate with strangers less frequently. Remarkably effective communicators are becoming less and less common. With a few simple techniques and sufficient practice, though, you can improve your ability to communicate with others.
Listen Intently
In order to properly communicate, it's imperative that you know where whoever you're interacting with is coming from. People can tell, consciously or unconsciously, how well you're listening to and comprehending what they're saying (and what they're not saying). And whether they agree or disagree with you, they'll generally trust your more if they can tell you're absorbing the ideas they're trying to communicate. Effective listening is a learned skill: according to Mind Tools' "Active Listening," people generally remember less than half the information they hear. Don't be in a hurry, and don't be afraid to pause for a moment to consider what your interlocutor is telling you. A more gradually paced conversation can often be more fruitful than a hurried one.
Express Yourself Carefully and Deliberately
When the time comes for you to say something important or pertinent, be purposeful with what you say. Select the best words and phrase from your vocabulary to most effectively convey your message. Use as many words as are necessary to get your message across and then stop. Don't over explain. Watch your interlocutor's body language and facial expressions to be sure he is understanding you, and when you can tell your message has been properly communicated, give him a chance to respond.
Adjust Your Technique Based on Who You're Communicating With
Everyone communicates differently, and there are different general codes of conduct for communication depending upon what situation you're involved in. If you're speaking with someone you trust--for instance, a close friend or family member--you can obviously be more relaxed and even less deliberate. If you find yourself in a more formal situation, be more deliberate and tactfully reserved. If someone's close to you, speak clearly but more softly. If you're communicating with a crowd, raise your voice while maintaining clarity of enunciation.
Feel out the vocabulary of whoever you're communicating with. If the person is educated in a field you understand, don't hesitate to use jargon that will be understood. Be careful not to talk over your interlocutor's head. There's no reason to dumb yourself down, but be sure whoever you're talking to is able to understand what you're saying.
Become Articulate
Expand your vocabulary and understanding as much as possible. If you have an important meeting with someone on a particular topic, do some research beforehand. Try to learn a new word every day. Read and make use of a thesaurus. When you encounter a word or an idea you don't understand, ask for further elaboration or look it up. Treat learning as a lifelong project.
Practice
Whenever you get the chance to communicate, do. Get to know as many people as you can. Respectfully speak to people wherever you go. When you learn new words or concepts, make use of them with whoever might understand them, or teach a receptive listener something new.
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