Communication is a skill that is so important that without it human existence or any kind of existence is next to impossible. But all of us sometimes are unable to effectively communicate what we really mean. Ineffective communication leads to loss of information or misinterpretation of information. But it’s a must have and you should do everything in your power to overcome this obstacle. Here below are listed a few tips that can help you in trouncing over this problem.
Listen!
In order to communicate effectively, the first important step is that you listen first. You can contribute fruitfully to a conversation only if you listen to what the other person is saying. If you are going to say what you have to say but it has no relevance to the conversation at hand then it is of no use. Be patient and wait for your turn to speak. Never interrupt anyone mid-sentence as it will make you come across as rude and up-handed. At the same time do not start giving unsolicited advice, because no one likes a know it all.
Confidence
The key to good communication is being confident. If you appear confident and know how to handle your topic then people will automatically listen to you. But we all know it is not easy to be confident, in order to overcome this hurdle start practicing. Practice with people you are comfortable but if you cannot find someone, start practicing in front of the mirror. It is an old and tested trick and helps you in boosting your confidence.
Mind your body language
Make sure that you do not have an aggressive stance. You might say that you are open to conversation but if you stand with your arms crossed with an aloof look on your face then you seem aggressive and it puts off the other person and the conversation then comes to a standstill.
Be clear and distinct
It is very important that you are clear in your speech when you are talking. Make sure that you have your pronunciation right and that you can hold up a conversation in one language in one go. If you keep on alternating between two languages then you appear unconfident and people fail to follow what you are trying to stop. Try not to say a lot of ‘umm’ and ‘aah’ in your conversation. It makes you look like a person who doesn’t know what they are saying.
If you follow these four tips then you will have no problem in holding your ground in kind of conversation circle. Enter a conversation with an open mind and be ready to hear different opinion than yours.