Skills for Successful Communication
Everyone could use some training in communications. It doesn’t matter if you are in management or sales you will always need to be able to communicate to those around you. If you have been to various sales training or management training seminars and have not yet learned these principals, really learned them, you have wasted your money. This is not because those courses are no good, in fact they probably assume you already know these things. If you take the time to learn these concepts then you will go far. What comes after that is what you can learn from those courses.
Establish a Reason
Each time you take time out to communicate with someone , whether it is a meeting or if you are problem shooting, establish what it is that you would like to talk about, what you plan on saying and what you are hoping to get from it.
Make it Relevant
People don’t pay attention to things that are not obviously relevant to them. When talking about something make sure that you put it in terms of how it is relevant to the other person. If you make it a prepackaged story that includes them in it this will be easier.
Use Various Methods
This is something you especially need to do when you are talking to a large group. People understand things in different ways. Don’t be afraid to say the same thing several times while you are talking in different ways to make sure that everyone can understand. Use diagrams and activities to help people internalize what you are saying. Pass out a leaflet so that it is in writing. This will appeal to several different ways on understanding a topic.
Repeat after people
When someone tells you something, repeat what they said so that it shows that you are understanding. Not word for word, but put what they said into your own words. Use the phrase “What I’m hearing you say is…Is that right?” This will show them that not only can you talk but you are also listening to them.