4 Tips to Effective Communication

Effective communication is so critical in all aspects of our lives, yet so many of us fail because of poor communication. Because communicating effectively is so vital to the success of any group, organization, and/or relationship, it is troubling how little time we spend improving our communications skills. Though many communication skills and techniques are obvious, so many of us fail to use and/or apply them. Below are strategies on how to improve our ability to effectively communicate with others to achieve better outcomes.

#1 Listen

Obviously listening is so critical to effective communication, yet still many of us fail to take the time to listen appropriately. By not listening, we hinder our ability to be effective and powerful communicators, because we ignore the feelings and thoughts of others. Not listening has a huge negative impact on any given situation, and it will most often lower our ability to have success. If nothing else, learning to listen more often and more sincerely will greatly improve our communication skills.

#2 Explain

One major obstacle to effective communication is the failure of many to state the benefits of action. Simply communicating a plan, idea, or strategy without tying it to how it will positively impact others is a common type of ineffective communication. Learning to tie your communication to the benefit's particular actions will greatly improve your ability to effectively communicate and persuade others. Don’t make people guess what you mean or why you feel a certain way about something. Instead, make sure they understand why they should do it!

#3 Desire

To effectively communicate, we must want to do it. Sounds simple, right? In truth, this is not very simple, because truly desiring to communicate effectively means we have to engage in uncomfortable and even “dangerous” communication. A true desire to communicate effectively means we share our true feelings, thoughts, and convictions always, to keep an open and honest relationship. Failing to be honest, to share opinions, and to engage in uncomfortable conversations will greatly hinder our ability to be effective communicators.

#4 Enthusiasm

If you want people to listen to you, you must communicate with energy and enthusiasm. Someone who is able to clearly communicate with excitement will capture the attention of his or her audience, and they will be more effective in getting the message across. People tune in when enthusiasm is a consistent part of our communication.

Constantly learning to improve our communication skills should be a part of each of our lives. As we learn to be more effective communicators, we will build stronger relationships and have greater results in life. Simply listening and explaining more, desiring to be better communicators by sharing our true thoughts and feelings, and by doing all these with enthusiasm will greatly improve our ability to communicate with others.