Topic 1 Communication skills
After we have defined the term communication and stated why is it that important for life and work, now we may take a closer look at more specific skills that can be helpful in providing good communication.
When it comes to skills connected with interpersonal contact some people have natural predispositions and inclinations to use them in everyday situations even unconsciously.
However, there is no need to worry as each communication skill can be trained and developed easily, usually by implementing only minor changes in our usual, everyday behaviour.
In this section we will present and explain some of them.
Active listening
As already stated earlier communication is not only expressing yourself, but also listening to the others. Active listening is mindfully paying attention to the complete message being sent. You need to pay attention to the other person very carefully and analyzing not only their verbal signals but also the non-verbal ones. It will be very positive to use your own body language and gestures to show that you are engaged.
Clarity and concision
Saying what you want in a clear, concise way, making sure you have passed on the most important information.
Ability to ask questions
When communicating, it is important to make sure that you are understood properly and you understand the others. To check it you can ask various questions. This way you can avoid miscommunication. Clarify certain points by asking questions and checking if what you understood is what they meant.
Engagement
It involves paying attention to behaviour and words of your interlocutor. Being passionate about communication process with others will result in others feeling better and trusting you more. Show your enthusiasm for students asking questions and expressing themselves.
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. As communication is always interpersonal it is vital to try to see the situation from other point of view and respect it.
It is the information received after specific action. When giving a feedback make sure you concentrate also on positive sides. When obtaining it, listen carefully, ask clarifying question if needed and try to implement it later.
Being seen as a friendly person can significantly raise the quality of communication you have with other people, as they will trust you more as well as feel relaxed and in better mood.
Instead of only getting your message across and forcing your ideas try to enter a dialogue with an open-mind. Remember that the objective of communication is often exchanging ideas or creating solutions to problems.
