Communication Skills

As it’s commonly known (and you’ve probably realized by now if you read any other communication related posts on this blog), communication as a whole is quite a complex and broad subject. There are so many ways for it to go right, but so many ways for it to end horribly wrong as well. In this post I’ll be regarding some of the most essential communication skills to bear in mind. Take into account that there are an innumerable amount of skills that could be implemented, I’ll be regarding the ones that are considered fundamentally unavoidable in a successful communication process. 

First of all, what is a communication skill exactly? In simple terms, they’re any sort of ability we could utilize during a communication process to further up the chances of its success. Of course, since the communication process may present itself in various forms, (such as a phone call, a face to face interaction, or a digital conversation), the communication skills implemented may also be specifically designed to work under certain circumstances and not in others. That’s why as previously stated, this post will focus on the more standard and general communication skills.

Communication isn’t just transmitting a message, but it’s also receiving one. Arguably this last bit is equally, if not more important than, the former. With this in mind, one of the best communication skills anyone can have regardless of where it’s implemented is active listening. If you pay attention to the message that’s being transmitted, you’re able to counter the message effectively as needed. This also works especially well in circumstances where feedback is a must. If you’re able to pick up on the fine details, the message you’re trying to transmit will be much easier to do so. 

The next communication skill is also a bit obvious, but regardless of this fact it is sometimes easily overlooked. I’m referring to adapting your message. Adapting it to who? Well of course towards your target audience! It always essential to modify the way you transmit a message so it appears to be more appealing for whoever is on the receiving end. This is much more difficult than it may seem at first sight. And of course it’s also relative to the channel and source behind the message. All in all this is a very complex skill to fully master, but you can easily start implementing it in a more mundane style. 

Empathy, although not specifically a communication skill, is still quite a useful tool to have at hand. It works quite well in conjunction with active listening and the adapting of your message, mainly because if you’re able to emotionally understand what you’re listening to, you’ll be able to adapt the message in a more effective manner as well.

Confidence is in complete honesty one of the most crucial aspects to take into account when doing essentially anything, and communication is no exception to this rule. If you’re confident of your message, that will reflect itself upon the way you transmit it, and then upon whoever is your audience. 

Now, we’ve mentioned how feedback can be an element considered within active listening. But feedback is also essential when adapting your message, it’ll help you evaluate with more accuracy your target audience, an invaluable method to take into account. When it comes to feedback, you aren’t always on the receiving end. When listening to others messages you’ll be giving feedback towards them as well, this is important so they can modify their own message to your own liking making it much easier for you to comprehend it. 

As a final skill I’d like to make note of understanding non verbal cues. As I’ve mentioned near the beginning of this post, some circumstances of the communication process will not involve the opportunity for this aspect to be taken into account. Nonetheless, I’d consider it’s still essential and worth mentioning. Never make less of corporal communication, or more commonly known as non verbal communication. Anything that involves body movements (whether that be from any of the parties involved) is essential to take note of. It makes active listening much easier (you’ll listen to movements as well as words). It facilitates the giving and getting of feedback as well as making it easier to adapt your message since any non verbal cue is more information that works in your favor. 

This list could go on and on for what seems to be forever. We could get ever more specific for each circumstance that would come to mind, but these simple skills to learn (yet complex to master) are more than enough to start increasing your success rate in any point of the communication process.