Talking Your Way to the Top: The Communication Skills You Need to Succeed

If your soft skills are not up to par, you are at a disadvantage you may not be able to recover from. Communication skills are one of the most crucial of these skills because, without it, you will not be able to forge the relationships you need to get to the next level. It is not a stretch to say that you’ll find it almost impossible to reach the top without a ‘reasonable’ level of communication, so if it is a weakness for you, it is imperative that you work on it.

What Are Communication Skills?

Communication skills enable you to express yourself in a positive and clear way, both orally and in written form. Demonstrating these skills involves conveying information in a simple, easy to understand manner without losing the core message.

Remember, communication is a two-way street which means you must also have the ability to listen. By doing this, you find it much easier to understand instructions, make requests, acquire new skills, and relay information. Despite being ‘basic,’ communication skills are arguably the group of skills most coveted by employers. Identify your best traits and work hard on them.

Why is Communication Important in the Workplace?

Regardless of your job title or level of responsibility, communication skills are important. In fact, a 2016 study by the British National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that verbal communication skills were ranked #1 amongst the ‘must have’ skills and qualities of job candidates. A communication breakdown affects work performance, morale, and efficiency.

One of the things about communication skills is that yours will be tested during an interview. It involves speaking clearly and concisely to a group of strangers while demonstrating a healthy vocabulary, maintaining eye contact, relaying relevant information, and showcasing your personality. If you can get through that ordeal, your communication skills are probably fine!

Types of Communication Skills

Written Communication

The written word remains powerful after centuries of use and is not something we should solely associate with journalists and writers. Badly written sales pages, for example, will damage your brand’s reputation terribly. Be sure to sharpen up your writing skills if you believe they are below average.

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication comprises 93% of what we ‘say’ so it is quite important! It includes eye contact, hand gestures, body language, and tone of voice. Practice standing with your arms open and leg relaxed. People will find you to be more approachable and friendlier and are more likely to try and speak to you.

Verbal Communication

This relates to the things we say, and while it only comprises 7% of communication, it is still important. You need to assess the conversation to decide how to proceed. For example, you would use short sentences and speak slowly to a child, and do the same to colleagues when trying to explain a complicated work process!

The practice of reflection involves repeating what a person said to you to check that you understand. Use this if you find that you often get a person’s message all wrong.

Telephone Communication

When on the phone, you need to adopt a positive tone, project enthusiasm in a natural way, and retain an attentive and polite tone at all times. This skill is important in any job where you must answer the phone, none more so than receptionists or individuals working in a call centre.

Technological Communication

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking technology is damaging our communication skills! Use it to improve them. Communicating through text, email, and social media is a good way to get things moving or to keep a conversation going; although nothing beats face-to-face meetings for getting to the heart of a matter.

Visual Communication

In a way, this could relate to gesticulating wildly with your arms while pulling funny faces! However, it is normally used to describe making presentations at work. Good visual communication skills allow you to get your point across in a handful of PowerPoint slides.

Listening Skills

As a rule of thumb, try to listen twice as much as you speak, remain alert and attentive, and do your best not to interrupt until the speaker is finished. Human beings need to be understood and also to understand. Listening to a person is the best way to understand them.

Communication Skills Examples for CVs

Teaching Communication Skills

• Empathy
• The ability to summarise information effectively
• Mindfulness
• Relationship Management
• Friendliness

Communication Skills in Healthcare

• Confidence
• Open-Mindedness
• Calm tone of voice
• Knowing when to choose the right communication medium
• Developing a Rapport

Communication Skills in Accounting

• Storytelling
• Credibility
• Maintaining eye contact
• Clear visuals when performing a presentation
• Clearly communicating solutions to complex problems

Communication Skills for Receptionists

• Active Listening
• Friendliness
• Politeness
• Maintaining Calm Under Pressure
• Knowing When to Ask Questions

Communication Skills in Business

• Verbal communication
• Writing skills
• Teamworking
• Presentation Skills
• Negotiation

Communication Skills in Customer Service

• Selling skills
• Ask questions
• Maintaining an open mind
• Showing assertiveness
• Focus

Communication Skills in Managers

• Active Listening
• Networking
• Emotional intelligence
• Paying attention to the non-verbal communication of others
• Challenge assumptions in a polite manner

How to Improve Communication Skills

Although some interpersonal skills appear to come naturally to certain people, there is no reason why you can’t improve your communication skills. If all you do is pledge to become a better active listener, you will be way ahead of the competition! However, you should add these little weapons to your communication skills toolbox also:

• Learn the art of networking to hone your communication skills.
• Work hard on your level of empathy.
• If you’re feeling brave, practice public speaking. Once you conquer the hurdle of communicating with a large audience, you will find day-to-day workplace communications to be a walk in the park.
• In the event, you are in a lengthy and detailed conversation/meeting, do your best to take the meat from the bones in the form of bullet point details of the salient issues.
• Take notes in workplace meetings and reread everything you write. Ask questions if what you have written down doesn’t make sense to you.
• Consider your target audience and determine the mode of communication based on what you feel is best for their needs and the situation.

Skills Related Articles

• How to identify your skills
• Analytical skills
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Personal skills
• Soft Skills
• Technical Skills
• 5 soft skills employers want