Effective business communication tools

Learn to communicate effectively.

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Having strong communication skills means more than just knowing how to talk or write. Effective communicators command the attention of their audience and make sure their message gets across. This applies to an annual company address as well as day-to-day departmental memos. Several tools and resources exist to help you develop, practice and perfect the art of communication.

Role-Playing Activities

Role-playing activities can help people develop and strengthen communication skills. For example, you can learn the importance of making eye contact or using nonverbal communication during a conversation. A role-playing activity can provide you with a new perspective as well, which helps train you to empathize with your intended audience so you can make a better connection to facilitate clear communication.

Body Language

Body language is nonverbal communication that includes your posture, how you use our hands and arms during a conversation and whether you make eye contact. These gestures are sometimes subtle and sometimes overt, but they communicate meaning beyond what is spoken.
When having a conversation, pay attention to how you stand. A stiff position with arms crossed over your chest may imply that you are being defensive even if your words state otherwise. Shoving your hands in your pockets when speaking could imply that you have something to hide. Observe yourself in a mirror when practicing a speech. Beware of using too many hand gestures to distract listeners from your message. Work toward developing a relaxed stance with your hands comfortably at your sides.

Related Reading: Effective Communication in a Business

Practice

The best way to develop and perfect communication skills is to practice them. Have a variety of conversations with others and ask for feedback. Ask colleagues or teachers to critique your email communications. Look for nonverbal cues from others when you are having one-on-one conversations. Do they show interest by maintaining eye contact and engaging in dialogue, or do they look at their watches often and try to rush away? Work toward streamlining your message so you don't waste your listener's time and clutter your communication with irrelevant information.

Reading

Read a variety of books to help you understand the power of effective communication skills. Reading has the added benefit of helping you expand your vocabulary and widen the scope of your conversations by giving you topics to discuss with others.