Communication is more than just two people speaking to each other. It involves active listening and it involves truly focusing on all aspects of a conversation, rather than simply waiting for the right opportunity to speak. By practicing self-awareness in interacting with others, it is possible to change the way a person communicates and to adjust to different communication styles. Here are some tips for improving one’s communication style.
Adapt
It’s important to “know your audience” when it comes to changing someone’s communication style. There is a marked difference between discussing an issue at work with a senior manager, for example, as opposed to talking to someone not in management. When engaged in skillful communication, everyone knows how everyone feels and is thinking.
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Engage
When it comes to changing communication style, a useful technique is to engage the other parties. For example, when a problem arises, rather than saying, “Here’s how we’re going to fix the situation,” consider engagement as an option, asking a question, such as: “How do you think we might be able to fix the situation?” Doing this allows the other parties to feel as if their opinion is being actively sought, which tends to make communication more effective.
Strengths
Different people have different communication styles. A key to effective communication is knowing where one’s strengths are in communication. One person might communicate very effectively verbally, while another person might be a terrific communicator with the written word. If someone’s having problems communicating verbally, switching over to communicating through the written word might achieve better results.
Practice
There are times when someone might have to communicate verbally, even if that isn’t one of their strong suits. The best way to prepare for that is to practice verbal communication. Some people will record themselves giving a presentation, in order to get a feel for how others might be hearing them. If they find there are too many pauses or too many filler sentences, they can adjust themselves accordingly.
Repeat
There are times when someone needs to repeat their message a couple of times, in order to get their point across. The other parties might not be actively listening and might fail to understand the significance of what is being communicated. When a message gets repeated, however, it increases the chances of others becoming aware of the importance of a statement.
Tell Stories
An article in the Harvard Business Review pointed out how valuable good storytelling can be when it comes to communication. The human brain is actually hardwired to gravitate towards stories. Therefore, when someone needs to communicate effectively, it’s often helpful to include a story illustrating it is the speaker wishes to emphasize.
Whether it is within an organization or just within someone’s ordinary life, effective communication is a vital skill which needs to be employed. Even if someone feels they will never be able to change the way they communicate, such beliefs are false. With careful observation and constant communication awareness, anyone can learn an effective technique which enables them to change or modify their communication styles to their fullest potential.