5 Super Tips for Improving Communication Skill

It might sound an over-simplification, but it's true. The

best way of improving communication skill is through

practice. There are some easy and fun ways that you

can improve your communication skill, though, so you

needn't worry about it being too hard to do.

Remember that communication can be either written or

spoken. Both of these improve with practice and here

are some fun ways to do that:

1. Write down your thoughts

Just write down anything. It can be impromptu and you

Don't have to show these ideas to anyone. This helps you

to be able to order your thoughts logically.

However, if you find that you enjoy this way of expressing

yourself, you could join an online community or article

database which will publish your articles. There are lots

of opportunities like this online and some even offer

payment, but what is probably more important and more

gratifying is knowing that people are reading your

opinions.

You may even find a site where articles are ranked

by your peers. If you dare to subject yourself to such

ranking, then you can be pleasantly surprised at how highly

regarded your writing becomes.

2. Learn from other communicators

Watch speakers on TV or go to lectures. See how the

experts do it. You can learn a lot this way, seeing

what you liked about their way of putting their message

across.

In improving communication skill, it's important to

have the confidence to get your own style. Getting some

tips from others is fine, but no-one has all the answers

and you may well have some good ideas yourself.

Your communication style needs to be individual to you

and you need to feel comfortable communicating in this

way for it to be really effective.

3. Try the telephone

Telephone conversations take a different set of skills.

Obviously, one big difference is that you can't read

body language of the person you're talking to on the end

of the telephone line. Also, without this body language

to read, silences can seem much longer over the phone.

They are still important pauses to allow people to think,

though, so you need to learn not to be frightened of

these pauses in conversation.

4. Chat to people

Try holding a conversation with anyone you meet - the

Bank cashier or the man you pay for your gas when

You fill up the car. Anyone. It's the practice that

matters.

5. Strike up a debate

One way of improving communication skill that you may not

have considered is getting a few friends together and having

a friendly debate. Pick a current topic in which you are all

interested. It doesn't have to be anything weighty or in any

way controversial; in fact, whilst you are just starting out

improving your communication skill, it really should be

something light and fun in which everyone can

participate.

Serve up the coffee and have fun with the debate. It can

be casual and low-key and if you really want to have

fun with it, which not switch to argue on the opposite

side a little way into the debate. That's a great way of

improving communication skill. Keep it impersonal and

remember not to directly attack anyone and you can

have a really fun time and also learn a lot in the process.

So, try a few of these tips and see how much more

comfortable you feel in communicating with other people,

both people you know and strangers. You will soon be

improving communication skills in all areas of your life

and you should be enjoying it too.

And do remember, exceptional communication skills can be

learned.

Find a proven formula and follow it. You will be amazed at

how quickly you will progress. Although some people fear

otherwise, people skills can be learned by anyone of at

least average intelligence.

The difficulties you had in the past will not stop you

making rapid progress now. What matters is learning a

proven approach you can use for the rest of your life.

I did it. It took me several years.