Top 5 Communication Skills To Help You Daily
As a New Year and the month of February is upon us, we want to keep in mind one of the most important aspects of for your personal, work, and business lives, which is communication. Communication can simply be defined as, “the imparting or exchanging of information or news.”
To me, communication is key in both my personal and professional life. Similarly to me though, most of us can improve our communication skills in order to help us better understand each other, solve problems, build trust, as well as share ideas.
TOP 5 COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO HELP YOU DAILY
Did you that more than half of communication is body language? That’s more than verbal communication! And, did you know that about 91% of 1,000 employees lack good communication skills? Below, I’ll outline 5 Communication Skills to Help You Daily and how we can improve them!
1. Listening – Listening is KEY to all effective communication. It is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. It’s not just understanding what’s said, but also, understanding how the speaker feels.
- Talk less, listen more, and listen with empathy!
2. Straight Talking – Conversations! Even the simplest “small talk” can go a long way to build trust or overcome unforeseen problems. You never know who you may be speaking to and the opportunities that speaking to them can lead to.
- Speak up – communication can start with you, don’t be afraid!
3. Non-Verbal Communication – Non-verbal communication is also known as wordless communication. This includes body position, facial expressions, hand movements, gestures, eye contact, voice tone, and even the way we breathe. The way we look, act, or use gestures says far more than words will ever say.
- Always remember that actions speak louder than words!
4. Stress Management – When stress takes over our lives, it can greatly affect communication, opinions, and behavior. In turn, it often results in problems. How often do we feel stressed in a conversation and speak out of anger, and then later regret it?
- Never speak or act out of anger, take a breather, and think before you speak!
5. Emotion Control – Feelings also affect communication. Making decisions affects the way we feel or think. If we are unaware of our feelings, we will not clearly communicate them. Having control of our emotions can help us be better communicators by understanding others and ourselves. Therefore, we can relay those feelings correctly.
- Be ready for different answers and opinions!
PERSONALLY REFLECTING ON THE TOP 5 COMMUNICATION SKILLS
After explaining these Top 5 Communication Skills, I would like to personally reflect on them:
Here it goes! First, listening is something that I have gotten better about, but I can always improve upon this as well. Being in sales, the saying, “talk less, listen more” is constantly on my mind. Personally, I also have this mindset at home, too.
Now, for strategy two, “Straight Talking.” Honestly, this is one of my better skills. I have always been told that I would talk to a wall if I could. However, through working in business development and sales, I have learned that you never ever know who you are talking to or what opportunities that it may lead to. So, don’t ever be afraid to have a conversation!
When it comes to non-verbal communication, I could probably improve upon this skill the most. This includes my facial expressions, talking with hands, and other gestures. Countless times, I’ve been told about my facial expressions, which sometimes appear as though I am angry, annoyed or irritated. Most often, this is not the case. In fact, previously I have been told my friends that before they met and talked to me, they were actually “scared of me.” Non-verbal communication is a daily struggle and work-in-progress for me. In addition to wordless communication, thinking before I speak is right there with the expressions. I am 100% guilty of speaking and acting out of anger then regretting it later. This is also something I try to improve upon daily.
Lastly, as far as emotions, I think I need to work on being ready for different answers. Someone’s response won’t always be what you expect, which I tend to forget. I need to work on being better prepared for all possible outcomes, whether I like it or not. So, before the end, or even the middle of 2021, I plan to have almost mastered all my communication skills not only for my professional life here at GRS, but also my personal life.
Guarantee Restoration Services is the leading property damage company along the Gulf Coast. With four convenient offices along the I-10 corridor, our team of dedicated professionals is available 24/7, for any mold, water, fire or wind property damage that needs immediate attention. If your business or home has experienced property damage contact us at 800-349-HELP (4357) or email info@guaranteerestoration.net.
Taylor Millet is a Business Development Representative at Guarantee Restoration Services. She has been a GRS team member for 4 years. To connect with her, visit LinkedIn or send her an email.
