EVEN EASTER BUNNIES CAN SEE THE VALUE IN GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS

 

A University degree, Diploma or Trade are fabulous assets however communication skills are the icing on the cake for all who desire to lead, teach, sell and interact with others.

 

How Communication Skills will boost your progress ?

 

• Communication skills are vital for good Leadership
• They enhance your Employment Opportunities
• Improve your Interviewing skills as interviewer or interviewee
• Build better Relationships with family, at work and your social activities
• You will have a greater ability to deliver Training and Reports
• Improved interaction and learning skills will positively effect your Education
•  Media – improved abilities to promote your organisation and yourself
• Self Esteem and Confidence will be boosted

 

“The man who can think but does not know how to express what he thinks is at the same level as he who cannot think.”   Pericles

 

The 5 Top qualities that employers seeks in an employee

1. Communication Skills
2. Strong work ethic
3. Teamwork skills
4. Analytical skills
5. Initiative

 

So you think you’ve got good communication skills? Well, you wouldn’t be alone. Almost everyone lays claim to having ‘excellent communication skills’, and every job requires them – but what does it really mean? And what does it mean to have these skills when it comes to your job?

Communication is one of the key marks of a leader. Without open and concise lines of communication an organisation will flounder. It is a word that is overused and misunderstood. To speak effectively whether to one person or hundreds is a skill of immense value. The strength of our communications spring, in part from our personal values, our upbringing and possibly some form of coaching along the journey.

From an early age our communication abilities begin to form through interaction with siblings, parents, school mates and teachers and whatever sports and hobbies we pursue. These abilities can vary greatly from one child to another. Since most people have a fear of public speaking, those who develop this skill early have a significant advantage over the competition.

 

Six ways we can communicate.

 

Speaking – Gestures – Touch – Writing – Broadcast – Electronically

Undoubtedly, the delivery of a clear and meaningful message using our vocal attributes combined with gestures holds more power than the other forms of communication.

Having good communication skills in the workplace is all about being able to convey information to people clearly and simply, in a way that means things are understood and get done. It’s about transmitting and receiving messages clearly, and being able to read your audience. It means you can do things like give and understand instructions, learn new things, make requests, ask questions and convey information with ease.

It also means that you can adapt yourself to new and different situations, read the behaviour of other people, compromise to reach agreement, have difficult conversations with ease, and avoid and resolve conflict. In fact, a large part of good communication is about being empathetic, so you can understand how others will interpret your words and behaviour. And don’t forget that communication is a two-way street, so being a good listener is vital. 

 

 Ideas for boosting your Communication Skills

 

Join a Toastmasters club — Take up every speaking opportunity that comes your way — Visit a library for numerous books on this topic — Search you tube for video training — Seek out experienced mentors to evaluate and guide you — Use interpretive Reading practices – read from a descriptive story book and concentrate on pauses, voice infliction’s and gestures. E.g. Paul Jennings books. — Or attend a course or training session with Speech Makers Training www.speechmakers.com.au/training

 

A Few Tips

 

Good body language

Good eye contact, plenty of smiling, open hands, good posture, respect for others’ personal space: these are all part and parcel of good communication. They all display your positive attitude and help present you as reliable and open. Having good body language establishes trust and rapport and means people will not only have more confidence in you, but will want to listen to and work with you.

Good language

Good language doesn’t necessarily mean that you need the oratorical skills of Winston Churchill. It does mean that your diction is clear and audible, your sentences are concise, your thought processes are logical and your delivery is flowing. Being a confident and amiable speaker establishes trust with your audience and helps you elicit information and make introductions. This helps to maintain strong relationships at work with co-workers and clients.

Speaking well also requires you to adapt your speech to suit your audience, involving changing your word choice and tone for different scenarios. You have to be flexible to communicate effectively and use words that are appropriate and understandable.

Be a wordsmith

Ever received a text that was over-abbreviated, or an email that just didn’t make sense? Communicating well also means being able to write well, or well enough to get your message across clearly. This doesn’t just mean spelling, grammar, sentence structure and punctuation, but also being able to read quickly, use email, attach documents, and send and respond to messages in an appropriate timeframe. And, like speaking, choosing those words that are just right for the situation.

How you communicate at work also depends on the job. If you’re a teacher, for example, you need the whole gamut of communication skills – written, spoken, body language – because you’ll be talking to a multitude of individuals and groups. You need to be emphatic, but also commanding. Morphing these signals to match the scenario is partly what will make you a good teacher. These skills would be balanced differently for, say, a corporate lawyer or a retail salesperson.

On paper and in person

Your resume and cover letter are the first glimpse an employer has of who you are. And while it doesn’t take much to write ‘I possess excellent communication skills’ in your cover letter, the truth of the claim quickly becomes evident when you’re face-to-face with the interviewer.

With a cover letter, a prospective employer can immediately assess your writing skills – your ability to spell, construct a coherent sentence and proofread your own work. If you want to be taken seriously as a contender, you have to ensure that both your resume and cover letter are grammatically sound and devoid of spelling errors.

 

 

Regardless of what field you’re in and despite the apparent hollowness of the term, honing your ‘communication skills’ will pay you back many times over. If you get it right, you’re guaranteed to have a much smoother path through life and your career.

Speak confidently for greater success

 

Ted Gibbs is a multi award winning Public Speaker and public speaking coach and mentor at ‘Speech Makers Training’ where he works with people of all ages and occupations to assist them in becoming confident, engaging and professional presenters.

Phone — 0407105088

Email —- info@speechmakers.com.au