I.

The Importance of Good Communication Skills

Developing your communication skills can help all aspects of your life, from
your professional life to social gatherings and everything in between.

The ability to communicate information accurately, clearly and as intended, is a

vital life skill and something that should not be overlooked. It’s never too late to
work on your communication skills and by doing so, you may well find that you
improve your quality of life.
Communication skills are needed in almost all aspects of life:
- Professionally, if you are applying for jobs or looking for a promotion
with your current employer, you will almost certainly need to demonstrate
good communication skills.
Communication skills are needed to speak appropriately with a wide variety of
people whilst maintaining good eye contact, demonstrate a varied vocabulary
and tailor your language to your audience, listen effectively, present your ideas
appropriately, write clearly and concisely, and work well in a group. Many of
these are essential skills that most employers seek.
As your career progresses, the importance of communication skills increases;
the ability to speak, listen, question and write with clarity and conciseness are
essential for most managers and leaders.
- In your personal life, good communication skills can improve your
personal relationships by helping you to understand others, and to be
understood.
It is almost a cliché that personal relationships need communication. Failure
to talk has been blamed for the breakdown of any number of partnerships and
relationships—but the ability to listen is also an important element.
Communication is also vital in wider family relationships, whether you want
to discuss arrangements for holidays, or ensure that your teenage children are
well and happy.
- Communication skills can also ensure that you are able to manage
interactions with businesses and organisations

Over the course of your lifetime, you are likely to have to interact with a wide
range of organisations and institutions, including shops, businesses, government
offices, and schools. Good communication skills can ease these interactions, and
 ensure that you are able to get your point across calmly and clearly, and also
take on board the responses.
Being able to complain effectively is an important skill, for example, as is
handling criticism yourself.

II. Communication is a two-way process

Communication is not the same as broadcasting, or simply sending out
information.
It is a two-way process. In other words, it involves both the sending and
receiving of information.
It therefore requires both speaking and listening, but also—and perhaps more
crucially—developing a shared understanding of the information being
transmitted and received.
If you are the ‘sender’ of information, this means communicating it clearly to
start with (whether in writing or face-to-face), then asking questions to check
your listeners’ understanding. You must also then listen to their replies, and if
necessary, clarify further.
If you are the recipient, it means listening carefully to the information, then
checking that you have understood by reflecting back, or asking questions to
ensure that you both have the same understanding of the situation.
It is, therefore an active process. There is nothing passive about communication,
in either direction.

III. Developing Communication Skills

Good communication skills can improve the way that you operate through
life, smoothing your way in your relationships with others.
Poor communication skills, on the other hand, can sour relationships from
business to personal, and make your life significantly harder.
Some people seem to understand how to communicate without even trying.
They are able to tailor their language, tone and message to their audience, and
get their point across quickly and succinctly, in a way that is heard. They are
also able to pick up the messages sent to them rapidly, understanding both what
is said, and what has not been said.
This may seem effortless, but the chances are that they have spent plenty of
time honing their skills.
Along the way, they have probably also developed a good understanding of
themselves (called self-awareness) and habits of reflecting on success and
failure, and the actions that have led to one or the other.
Interpersonal Communication Skills
Verbal Communication
Non-verbal Communication
Listening
IV. Using Communication Skills
Interpersonal communication skills are important in a wide range of
circumstances and environments: probably, in fact, anywhere where we
may meet and interact with other people.
V. Other Communication Skills
- Presentation Skills
- Writing Skills
- Personal Skills

VI. Top 10 communication skills

- Here are the top communication skills employers and recruiters want to see in
your resume and cover letter, interviews and career development:
- 1. Active listening
- Active listening means paying close attention to who you’re communicating
with by engaging with them, asking questions and rephrasing. Practicing
active listening can build respect with your coworkers and increase
understanding in the workplace. As you actively listen, focus on the speaker,
avoiding distractions like cell phones, laptops or other projects, and by
preparing questions, comments or ideas to thoughtfully respond.
- Improve your active listening abilities by paying attention to other people’s
facial expressions, body language and tone. Instead of preparing what you will
say, focus on what the other person is saying and how they are saying it. If
you need to clarify something, ask followup questions or rephrase what
they’ve said to confirm that you understood them correctly.
- Read more: Active Listening Skills: Definition and Examples
- 2. Communication method
- Using the right way to communicate is an important skill. There are benefits
and disadvantages to talking through emails, letters, phone calls, in-person
meetings or instant messages. Communicating is better when you consider
your audience, what information you want to share and the best way to share
it.
- For example, if you are communicating with a potential employer, it may be
better to send a formal email or call them on the phone. In the workplace, you
may find it’s easier to communicate complex information in person or via a
video conference than by email. Building remote workplace friendships is
easier when you can speak through instant messages.
- Read more: 4 Different Ways to Communicate Effectively in the
Workplace
- 3. Friendliness
- Friendly traits like honesty and kindness can help foster trust and
understanding when communicating at work. Try to communicate with a
positive attitude, keep an open mind and ask questions to help you
understand where they’re coming from. Small gestures such as asking
someone how they’re doing, smiling as they speak or offering praise for work
well done can help you foster productive relationships with colleagues and
managers.
- You can practice friendliness by remembering small, thoughtful details about
your coworkers or past conversations. For example, if a coworker tells you
their child’s birthday is soon and you connect with them again later, you might
ask them how the birthday party went.
- 4. Confidence
- In the workplace, people are more likely to respond to ideas that are
presented with confidence. There are many ways to appear confident,
including by making eye contact when you’re addressing someone, sitting up
straight with your shoulders open and preparing ahead of time so your
thoughts are polished and you’re able to answer any questions. Confident
communication is useful not just on the job but also during the job interview
process.
- Related: 11 Tips for Improving Confidence at Work
- 5. Sharing feedback
- Strong communicators can accept critical feedback and provide constructive
input to others. Feedback should answer questions, provide solutions or help
strengthen the project or topic at hand. Providing and accepting feedback is
an essential workplace skill, as it can help both you and the people around
you make meaningful improvements to their work and their professional
development.
- A great way to learn how to give feedback is to take notes from others on the
feedback they offer you. When you come across a well-explained piece of
feedback, take some time to observe and analyze why it was good, why it
resonated with you and how you might apply those skills in the future.
- Related: 8 Tips for Giving Useful Performance Feedback (With Examples)
- 6. Volume and clarity
- When you’re speaking, it’s important to be clear and audible. Adjusting your
speaking voice so you can be heard in a variety of settings is a skill, and it’s
critical to communicating effectively. Speaking too loudly may be disrespectful
 or awkward in certain settings. If you’re unsure, read the room to see how
others are communicating.
- Another aspect of verbal communication is vocalics and tonality. This involves
how your tone moves up and down, your pitch, your accent pattern and the
spaces you place between phrases. Such details can be effective in
communicating emotions and offer your audience insights into how your
message should be interpreted (whether you realize it or not).
- 7. Empathy
- Having empathy means that you can not only understand, but also share in
the emotions of others. This communication skill is important in both team and
one-on-one settings. In both cases, you will need to understand other people’s
emotions and select an appropriate response.
- For example, if someone is expressing anger or frustration, empathy can help
you acknowledge and diffuse their emotion. At the same time, being able to
understand when someone is feeling positive and enthusiastic can help you
get support for your ideas and projects.
- Related: How to Be Empathetic in the Workplace
- 8. Respect
- A key aspect of respect is knowing when to initiate communication and
respond. In a team or group setting, allowing others to speak without
interruption is seen as a necessary communication skill tied to respectfulness.
Respectfully communicating also means using your time with someone else
wisely—staying on topic, asking clear questions and responding fully to any
questions you’ve been asked.
- Related: How to Treat Others with Respect in the Workplace
- 9. Nonverbal cues
- A great deal of communication happens through nonverbal cues such as body
language, facial expressions and eye contact. When you’re listening to
someone, you should be paying attention to what they’re saying as well as
their nonverbal language. By the same measure, you should be conscious of
your own body language when you’re communicating to ensure you’re
sending appropriate cues to others.
- Related: Examples of Nonverbal Communication in the Workplace
- 10. Responsiveness
- Whether you’re returning a phone call or sending a reply to an email, fast
communicators are viewed as more effective than those who are slow to
respond. One method is to consider how long your response will take.Is this a
request or question you can answer in the next five minutes? If so, it may be a
good idea to address it as soon as you see it. If it’s a more complex request or
question, you can still acknowledge that you’ve received the message and let
the other person know you will respond in full later.

VII. What are communication skills?

 Communication skills are abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds
of information. While these skills may be a regular part of your day-to-day work life,
communicating in a clear, effective and efficient way is an extremely special and
useful skill. Learning from great communicators around you and actively practicing
ways to improve your communications over time will certainly support your efforts to
achieve various personal and professional goals.

Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathizing. It is

also helpful to understand the differences in how to communicate through face-to-
face interactions, phone conversations and digital communications, like email and
social media.

VIII. Types of communication

There are four main types of communication you might use on a daily basis,
including:
1. Verbal: Communicating by way of a spoken language.
2. Nonverbal: Communicating by way of body language, facial expressions and
vocalics.
3. Written: Communicating by way of written language, symbols and numbers.
4. Visual: Communication by way of photography, art, drawings, sketches, charts
and graphs.

How to make communication skills stand out

Here are a few ways you can highlight your communication skills in your resume,
cover letter and job interview:

Communication skills on your resume

A well-written resume is itself a demonstration of strong communication skills. Ensure

that your resume is structured appropriately and free of spelling and grammatical
errors. Additionally, you may also want to include some positive communication skills
in your resume skills section, especially if the job post calls for specific
communication skills in the description. You can add skills to your Indeed Resume for
employers searching for candidates with your skillset.

Read more: 10 Communication Skills to Add to Your Resume

Communication skills on your cover letter

Your cover letter is a great opportunity to elaborate on your communication skills.

While you can talk more directly about how effectively you communicate here, at a
high level, your cover letter is one of the employer’s first impressions of your skills.
You will want to make your cover letter brief, well written, free from typos and spelling
errors and tailored to the position you’re applying for.

Related: 7 Powerful Ways to Start a Cover Letter

Communication skills in your job interview

The first, most important way you can communicate in your interview is through how
you present yourself. Show up for the interview 10–15 minutes early and dressed
appropriately for the job you’re applying for. Pay attention to the nonverbal cues
you’re displaying through body language.

Avoid actions such as slouching or looking at your phone during the interview.
Looking your interviewer in the eye, employing active listening skills and displaying
confidence are all positive ways to communicate in your interview. Almost everything
you do—both on the job and in life—can be seen as a form of communication. By
identifying your strengths and weaknesses and regularly practicing good habits, you
can improve the way you connect and communicate with others.

IX. How to improve your communication skills

With experience and practice, you can learn and improve your communication skills.
Start by identifying your strengths and then practice and develop those areas.

Observe good communicators around you

Identify professionals, family and friends who consistently communicate ideas and
information clearly with respect, empathy and confidence. Observe and take notes on
the specific ways they communicate with others. Do they use a certain tone of voice
in some cases? When? How do they explain complex information, ideas or
instructions? What kinds of emotion do they use when communicating, if any? How
do their communications affect others?

Ask a close friend or colleague for constructive criticism

It can be hard to know how you are perceived as a communicator. To get an

objective opinion, ask a trusted friend for their honest feedback. Understanding your
areas of improvement for communication can help you identify what to focus on.

Practice improving communication habits

Many communication skills are habits you have developed over time. You can
improve those skills by practicing new habits that make you a better communicator.
That might include being more responsive to communications when they are sent,
reminding yourself to give eye contact, practicing giving positive feedback and asking
questions in conversations.

Attend communication skills workshops or classes

There are several online and offline seminars, workshops and classes that can help
you be a better communicator. These classes may include instruction, roleplay,
written assignments and open discussions.

Seek opportunities to communicate

Seek out opportunities both on and off the job that require you to use communication
skills. This will help you keep good skills fresh while also allowing you the opportunity
to practice new skills.
Related: How to Improve Communication Skills

X. Communicating effectively in the workplace

While there are several communication skills you will use in different scenarios, there
are a few ways you can be an effective communicator at work:

Be clear and concise

Making your message as easy to consume as possible reduces the chance of

misunderstandings, speeds up projects and helps others quickly understand your
goals. Instead of speaking in long, detailed sentences, practice reducing your
message down to its core meaning. While providing context is helpful, it is best to
give the most necessary information when trying to communicate your idea,
instruction or message.

Practice empathy

Understanding your colleague’s feelings, ideas and goals can help you when
communicating with them. For example, you might need help from other departments
to get a project started. If they are not willing to help or have concerns, practicing
empathy can help you position your message in a way that addresses their
apprehension.

Assert yourself

At times, it is necessary to be assertive to reach your goals whether you are asking
for a raise, seeking project opportunities or resisting an idea you don’t think will be
beneficial. While presenting with confidence is an important part of the workplace,
you should always be respectful in conversation. Keeping an even tone and providing
sound reasons for your assertions will help others be receptive to your thoughts.

Be calm and consistent

When there is a disagreement or conflict, it can be easy to bring emotion into your
communications. It is important to remain calm when communicating with others in
the workplace. Be aware of your body language by not crossing your arms or rolling
your eyes. Maintaining consistent body language and keeping an even tone of voice
can help you reach a conclusion peacefully and productively.

Use and read body language

Body language is a key part of communication in the workplace. Pay close attention
to the messages people are sending with their facial expressions and movements.
You should also pay close attention to the way you might be communicating
(intentionally or not) with your own body language.

Verbal Communication Skills

Be friendly
People who communicate with a friendly tone and warm smile nearly always have
the edge. The reason is simple: we are subconsciously drawn to people who are
friendly because they make us feel good and bring more enjoyment to our lives.

Think before you speak

An English Proverbs is “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open
your mouth and remove all doubt.” Whatever goes through the minds without
putting any thought into what the person is saying. As a consequence the person
says things that end up reflecting poorly on themselves.

Be clear
Most of us don’t have the time nor do we want to spend our emotional energy to
figure out what someone else is trying to say. People who are indirect in their
verbal communication and who incline to hint at things without saying what’s
really on their mind are rarely respected.

Don’t talk too much

Very few people like to be around someone who talks too much and dominates the
conversation.

Be your authentic self

Today, people are turned off by those people who feel the need to put on a show to
make their point. Instead, people are attracted to someone who speaks from the
heart and is genuine, transparent, and real.

Practice humility
Humility is having a modest view of one’s own importance. It is one of the most
attractive personality traits one can possess and is one of the most significant
predictors of someone who is respected. People who speak with humility and
genuine respect for others are almost always held in high regard.

Speak with confidence

You don’t have to sacrifice self-confidence to practice humility. Confidence is a
self-assurance arising from an appreciation of one’s true abilities, whereas humility
is having a modest opinion of one’s own importance.

Speaking with confidence includes the words you choose, the tone of your voice,
your eye contact, and body language.

Focus on your body language

When you are engaged in faceto- face verbal communication, your body language
can play as substantial of a role in the message you communicate as the words you
speak. Your body language communicates respect and interest. It puts real meaning
behind your words.
Be concise
Very few things are more irritating to me than when someone can’t get to the point
of what he or she is trying to say. Plan ahead. Invariably ask yourself, “How can I
say what needs to be said using the fewest number of words possible while still
being courteous and respectful?”

Learn the art of listening

Being an attentive listener is more important in verbal communication than any
words that can come out of your mouth. You must show a sincere interest in what
is being said, ask good questions, listen for the message within the message, and
avoid interrupting.

4 Skills That Are Necessary for Effective Communication

Developing better communication habits requires several important skills that work in
tandem with each other. Some of these skills involve the way you speak or hold your
body, and others are more emotionally based interpersonal skills. Here are a few
skills that good communicators possess:

Listening skills: Clear communication starts with active listening. If you’re just focused
on how you are expressing yourself, chances are you are not listening or reacting to
what others are bringing to the table. An effective communicator uses a variety of
listening styles. They pay close attention to what’s being said and make others feel
heard and considered.

Empathy: Being able to understand the feelings of those around you is an integral
part of being an effective communicator. Empathizing means both understanding and
relating to someone else’s feelings. Having high emotional intelligence and
demonstrating an ability to empathize builds rapport between you and others and
increases your ability to communicate.

Nonverbal communication skills: In addition to verbal messages, effective

communication relies on nonverbal cues. Developing an awareness of your body
language and tone of voice will improve your messaging and presentation skills.

Teamwork: The ability to actively engage in team-building and consistently

collaborate with coworkers is an important part of building your business
communication skills. The more you build strong relationships and rapport with others
in the workplace, the more effectively you’ll be able to communicate with them.

How to Improve Your Communication Skills

If you feel like you lack the basic skills required for good communication, there are a
number of reliable ways to improve. Here are a few tips for developing your
communication skills:
Practice active listening. Effective communicators are always good listeners. Active
listening means engaging with what people say by giving affirmative replies and
asking followup questions to show that you are paying attention.

Focus on nonverbal communication. Mastering nonverbal cues and nonverbal

signals can help prevent miscommunication and signal interest to those around you.
Pay attention to your facial expressions and body language when you are speaking
with someone in a professional setting. Your nonverbal cues affect the first
impression you make on someone. Maintaining eye contact, limiting hand gestures,
and having good posture go a long way when meeting someone for the first time.

Manage your own emotions. For the sake of clear communication and your own
personal wellbeing, it’s important to manage your emotions and express them
appropriately in context. Allowing strong emotions to unnecessarily creep into a
professional setting can lead to poor communication and conflict.

Ask for feedback. There’s no shame in asking for honest feedback on your
communication skills from colleagues. Asking your peers or subordinates for their
advice on improving your communication skills can help you better understand how
you are coming across in your work environment. Cultivate a willingness to seek out
other points of view and forge better relationships with your coworkers.

Practice public speaking. Public speaking may sound daunting, but there’s no better
way to develop good communication skills than by seeking out public speaking
opportunities. Great communicators are able to clearly articulate their feelings,
whether they’re speaking to a large group or talking face-to-face to one other person.
Regularly speaking in front of a group will magnify your strengths and weaknesses
and force you to develop great communication habits.

Develop a filter. Effective communicators generally have highly developed social

skills and are able to modulate how they express their thoughts and feelings to those
around them. Know what’s appropriate to express in different interpersonal contexts.
Developing a filter will help supplement other communication techniques and ensure
that you maintain a certain level of decorum and avoid conflict in the workplace.

1. Verbal Communication –
Verbal communication is the most common type of communication. Talking
face-to-face, over the phone, addressing a group, and video conferencing are the
most common types of verbal communication. In this, you use a common
language spoken and understood by the people you are communicating with to
create a communication channel where theres a back and forth of conversation.
Most people are good with verbal communication in their personal lives, but
when it comes to their professional lives, they struggle – public speaking being
the most common problem. However, with practice, overall verbal skills can be
improved.
2. Non-Verbal Communication –
According to a few studies, close to 55% to 60% of communication is now
being done non-verbally. People now tend to pay, just as much if not more,
attention to your body language and other non-verbal gestures. Along with body
language, gestures, facial expressions, nods, and other physical movements are
classified as non-verbal communication. Nowadays, non-verbal communication
is being stressed upon by people in personal as well as professional settings, and
rightly so. This is quite an honest way of communication, and can rarely be
faked. Therefore, good non-verbal communication skills can play a huge role in
your personal and professional life.

3. Visual Communication –
Pictures, maps, drawings, charts, graphs, designs, colours, etc. any form of
communication that relies on visual stimuli without or with minimal use of
words and numbers, to get a message across, is visual communication. In the
modern world, visual communication skills are being highly sought after as they
are an intelligent way of communication. It takes a lot of hard work and practice
to become a good visual communicator, but it completely worth having this
skill.

4. Written –
The use of the written word to communicate in known languages or numbers is
written communication. With the advent of technology, written communication
has been increasing. The younger generation prefers to use textual
communication over verbal communication when it is not face-to-face. Texting,
commenting, reviewing, and emailing have all become forms of written
communication. Previously, it was only in the form of books, notes, letters,
notices, memos, etc. But it has evolved. The great thing about written
communication skills is that it can be learned and mastered.