Top Five Tips For Being An Effective Communicator

If your goal is to be a more effective communicator, consider these five tips from an expert in the field of public relations and messaging.

TOP FIVE TIPS FOR BEING AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR

1. Listen to what is being said… and not said.

To communicate effectively, you must be a good listener. And since a large portion of communication is non-verbal, you must be able to read non-verbal cues as well. Knowing the disposition and receptivity of your listener is an important first step to effective communication. During a conversation, reading the listener’s non-verbal cues will allow you to more effectively navigate a conversation.

2. Practice the sandwich principle.

When delivering criticism, sandwich it with complements or positive reinforcements. For example…

Bank manager to teller: “Thank you for taking the initiative to hire an electrician to fix the alarm. Next time, please do a background check on any new vendors to be sure we don’t inadvertently bring in another convicted bank robber. But I really appreciate your initiative.”

3. Use actual English.

We live in a casual culture. And with the proliferation of social media, abbreviations and slang have become an even bigger part of our everyday lives. But in a professional context, embrace real, grammatical English.

4. Know when to stop talking (or writing).

People have short attention spans. In both written and verbal communiqués, you will be well served to get to the point. Enough said.

5. Think before pressing “Send.”

Before you send that reactionary email or Tweet or Facebook post, take a breath. Or a walk. Or better yet, sleep on it. Your best option? Run it by someone else. If it still seems like a good idea, go ahead and press send.

As submitted by CL Wilson – Professional Crafter of Messages

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