COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Being able to communicate effectively is perhaps the most important of all life skills. It is what
enables us to pass information to other people, and to understand what is said to us. You only
have to watch a baby listening intently to its mother and trying to repeat the sounds that she
makes to understand how fundamental is the urge to communicate.
Communication, at its simplest, is the act of transferring information from one place to another.
It may be vocally (using voice), written (using printed or digital media such as books, magazines,
websites or emails), visually (using logos, maps, charts or graphs) or non-verbally (using body
language, gestures and the tone and pitch of voice). In practice, it is often a combination of
several of these.
Communication skills may take a lifetime to master—if indeed anyone can ever claim to have
mastered them. There are, however, many things that you can do fairly easily to improve
your communication skills and ensure that you are able to transmit and receive information
effectively.
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.
Verbal communication skills are ranked first among a job candidate’s ‘must have’ skills and
qualities. [According to a 2018 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers
(NACE)].
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.
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.
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.
A Long-Term Project
Developing excellent communication skills is probably best thought of as a long-term project.
The chances are that you will continue to learn about communication throughout your life.
Few, if any, of us would ever say that we had nothing left to learn on the subject.
That is not, however, to say that it is not worth starting the journey.
There are many small, easy things that you can do immediately that will help you to
communicate more effectively.
Interpersonal Communication Skills
Interpersonal skills are the skills we use when engaged in face-to-face communication with
one or more other people.
Improving Communication provides information about how you might start to address those
issues. There may, in particular, be issues relating to Intercultural communication, especially if
you work or interact with people from other cultures on a regular basis.
Verbal Communication
Verbal communication is all about what we say, which is an important way of getting our
message across.
Verbal communication can be both written and spoken, but here we focus mainly on spoken
communication.
The words that we choose can make a big difference to whether other people understand us.
Consider for example, communicating with a young child, or with someone who does not speak
our own language very well. Under those circumstances, you need to use simple language,
short sentences, and check understanding regularly. It is quite different from a conversation
with an old friend whom you have known for years, and with whom you may not even need to
finish your sentences. Equally, a conversation with a friend is very different from a business
discussion, and the words that you choose might be considerably more technical when talking
to a colleague.
Reflection and clarification are both common techniques used in verbal communication to
ensure that what you have heard and understood is what was intended. Reflection is the
process of paraphrasing and restating what the other person has just said, to check that you
have understood. Clarification is the process of seeking more information to inform your
understanding, for example, by asking questions.
Questioning skills are one very important area of verbal communication, often used in
clarification, but also to extract more information, and as a way to maintain a conversation.
Finally, two specific areas where you will need verbal communication skills, and which are
worth considering separately are making a speech, and in conversation.
Non-verbal Communication
Using our voice is only the tip of the iceberg.
We actually communicate far more information using Non-verbal Communication. This
includes non-verbal signals, gestures, facial expression, body language, tone of voice, and even
our appearance. These can serve to either reinforce or undermine the message of our spoken
words, so are worth considering carefully. If you want to say something outrageous, wear a
suit.
Listening
Listening is also a vital interpersonal communication skill.
As we said above, communication is a two-way process. Listening is an essential part of
receiving information. When we communicate, we spend 45% of our time listening. Most
people take listening for granted, but it is not the same as hearing and should be thought of as
a skill.
It is always worth thinking about what you should not do, as well as what you should do, when
trying to develop your skills. You may find that you recognise some of the bad habits you or
other people have picked up when listening.
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.
We have a number of pages on how to use communication skills. For example, they are
essential for starting to build relationships, both professionally and at home. You may find our
page on Building Rapport helpful, and also advice on being interviewed (Interview Skills) and
interviewing others (Interviewing Skills).
Good communication skills can also help you to provide feedback effectively, and in a way that
will not cause offence: a vital skill throughout life.
Good interpersonal communication skills enable us to work more effectively in groups and
teams, which may be either formal or informal.
Other Communication Skills
Communication skills encompass far more than simple verbal and non-verbal communication,
even in a wide range of circumstances, such as:
Presentation Skills
Many of us only use presentation skills infrequently. However, there will probably be times in
your life when you need to present information to a group of people, either in a formal or
informal setting.
Presentations are far more than simply standing up in front of a screen and talking your way
through a set of slides. They also include the ability to get your point across in meetings, both
small and large, and even pitching your business idea to a potential investor.
Writing Skills
Comm skills are not limited to direct interaction with other people and the spoken word.
The ability to write clearly and effectively is also key to communication.
This set of skills should not be limited to journalists or professional authors. Poor written
communication can be frustrating for the reader and potentially damaging for the author –
would you buy a product from a website peppered with spelling mistakes, or full of incomplete
or unclear sentences?
Browse our pages on Writing Skills to help you to understand and overcome common mistakes,
and improve how you communicate using the written word.
You may also be interested in our pages on Study Skills. Not just for students, these are the
skills you need to enable you to learn, communicate your ideas and understand the ideas of
others more effectively. They can, in particular, help you to read more critically, and retain
more information by making notes: improving the process of receiving written communication.
Personal Skills
Personal Skills are the skills that we use to maintain a healthy body and mind. But they can also
enhance communication.
For example, Improving Your Self-Esteem and Building Your Confidence can help you to feel
more positive about yourself and your abilities - including your ability to communicate. And
feeling positive is the first step to acting more positively, and therefore effectively.
By having a deeper understanding of yourself and a more relaxed and positive outlook on life
you are more likely to be charismatic, a trait that can further aid the communication process.
Good communication is also linked to assertiveness, or standing up for what you believe.
During times of stress, or when we are angry, we may communicate less effectively. Hence,
Emotional Intelligence plays a vital role in effective communication.
Communication is a complex subject with many areas and skills to consider.
Being able to communicate effectively is also a skill like any other. It too can be learned, given
time. Anyone can make a start on improving their communication skills at any time, and the
investment of time and effort is likely to pay off rapidly.