Do you think your communication skills could be improved a bit?
Effective communication skills are essential to success in any job, whether you’re an employee, boss, or freelancer. Strong communication skills can help you land the job during interviews, salary negotiations, and even when asking for a raise.
Finding a good communicator is harder than you think, so improving these skills can really set you apart.
Not convinced? Think of it this way. Have you ever had a job where you didn’t write or speak at all? Probably not.
Let’s take this further.
Why do I need to improve my communication skills?
Your communication skills can make or break every first impression you encounter.
It may sound harsh, but your communication skills have a huge impact on how people see you.
For example, if you’re working on a project with a colleague and you notice that they make spelling mistakes in every email they write, does that affect how you view them?
Or if you meet someone and you can’t understand a word of what they’re saying, do you want to continue working with them or spend more time with them?
Now, turn these situations around. Have you ever had trouble saying what you wanted to say?
Are you spending too much time trying to get the tone of your emails to sound right?
In all these situations, improving your communication skills will make your life easier and less stressful.
Now, let’s talk about another important question for anyone who works from home or wants to work from home in the future.
Why are communication skills important when working from home?
You may have chosen to work from home because you want to work independently.
That’s fine; in fact, I love working independently too. However, communication is even more important because it may be infrequent for you.
For example, if email or Slack messages are your primary means of communication, you need to be very clear. Otherwise, you’ll end up wasting your day sending messages back and forth trying to clear up misunderstandings or smooth things over.
Another thing to consider is that if your job is 100% online, you may not have an established face-to-face relationship with your manager, colleagues, boss, or customers. This means your entire relationship will be built through email, messages, or video calls.
Next, let’s talk about how you can improve your communication skills, even if you don’t know where to start.
1. Take a class or course
Consider taking a course or class. There are many communication classes available online, hybrid, or in-person, depending on your preference.
Many of these courses are very affordable, and if you don’t care about certificates or credits, you can often take the course for free.
You can also check out classes at local universities and community colleges. Another option is to take an improv class.
2. Try speaking in public
Whether your job requires presentation skills or not, public speaking is a good way to improve your overall communication skills.
Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization that helps people improve their leadership, communication, and public speaking skills. Enter your location to find clubs in your city. Some clubs are hybrid, offering the option to join in-person or online.
3. Hire a coach
Although one of the more expensive options, hiring a communication coach can help you improve your skills faster.
Consider asking your company about hiring a coach to lead workshops or conduct group coaching sessions for your entire team or organization.
A more affordable option is to find a coach-in-training. Coaches typically require a certain amount of time to become certified and will offer discounted or free coaching sessions until they become certified.
4. Read
Reading is one of the best ways to expand your vocabulary and develop new ways of expressing yourself.
Try reading both fiction and nonfiction. If you come across a word or expression that you don’t understand, write it down on your phone and look it up later.
For more communication-specific books, check out:
5. Listen to podcasts
Are there any podcasters you can listen to all day long?
If so, why? Please ask yourself. What is so attractive about them?
What do you like about the way they communicate?
Can we learn from them?
6. Watch shows and YouTube videos
Video is a great way to observe nonverbal communication and facial expressions.
Nonverbal signals help you express your ideas and show others that you are listening and engaged.
Another exercise is to watch current videos from your favorite YouTubers. Then go back and watch the first few videos.
You may be surprised at how they grow and change.
Communication is a skill that can be improved with training.
7. Make eye contact
It may feel uncomfortable at first for people who don’t normally make eye contact, but it’s very important.
When I was a teenager, I remember my father saying, “We don’t hire people unless they give us a firm handshake and make eye contact.”
This is especially important if you’re on calls like Zoom or Google Meet for work.
Eye contact shows confidence and that you are enthusiastic and interested.
8. Start writing
Whether it’s a blog, a diary, or a website like Medium, writing can help you improve your communication skills.
The more you write, the more comfortable you become with turning jumbled thoughts into coherent ideas.
You will also deepen your understanding of yourself in the process.
If writing publicly is too big a step, that’s fine, but start with a journal.
9. Use gestures
Although it’s more difficult when working online, you can still use nonverbal signals and cues during video calls.
Something as simple as a nod or a smile can have a big impact.
Speaking of smiling, try smiling while writing an email or on the phone. By doing this, you can give a warmer impression in your communication.
10. Learn about different communication styles.
Did you know that you have a communication style?
The four different communication styles are:
- passive
- aggressive
- aggressive
- passive aggressive
If you don’t know your style, you can learn more about each style here.
Understanding different styles will help you better understand your colleagues, friends, family, and how to communicate with them.
11. Be an active listener
Many people are surprised to learn that active listening is the key to better communication.
Show empathy when others are talking to you and be involved in every interaction.
Ask relevant questions and listen to their answers without interrupting.
You can also summarize what the other person said to show that you listened and understand their point of view.
12. Ask for feedback
Asking for feedback can be scary, but it can also help clear up confusion. You can also ask questions to different people, including your boss, colleagues, friends, and family.
To do this, send a quick text or email asking for honest and constructive feedback.
Let them know that you value their opinion and want to improve your communication skills.
13. Pay attention to your tone of voice
You’ve probably heard the idea that “it’s not what you say that matters, but how you say it.”
Try recording yourself and listen to it again.
Is there anything you could do to improve your message to be more positive or encouraging?
14. Improve your posture
I’ve noticed that when I sit up straight and display open body language, it impacts my confidence, emotions, and the way I communicate.
If you normally slouch, try sitting up straight and take a look.
You can also start noticing other people’s nonverbal cues and ask yourself what they are saying about them.
15. Look for collaboration opportunities
Whether you work from home or work independently, collaboration is a great opportunity to improve your communication skills.
Are there any projects you can volunteer on? Or maybe a colleague or friend who might be able to help?
16. Please be patient
We use communication skills every day, but most of us don’t receive training or regular feedback in this area.
It’s okay to make mistakes, so show some patience to yourself and others.
17. Practice using social media
Social media is a great way to practice your digital communication skills.
Look at people who are good communicators and note what stands out. Do you like their vocabulary? What kind of tones do they use?
Once you observe what others are doing well, apply what you learn to your own social media content.
Summary of communication skills
Remember, communication is a two-way street. Active listening skills are just as important as speaking for building strong communication skills.
Now that you have some ideas on how to improve your communication skills, consider the list above and find at least one step.
You may not be a keynote speaker by next week, but if you practice consistently on a small scale, you’ll see improvement fairly quickly.
This is useful in all areas of life.
As your communication skills improve, you will notice changes in your work life as well as your personal relationships.
