Getting on with communication skills

JAKARTA (JP): Professional competence helps one build a career, but much depends upon one's ability to communicate.

Cases abound where a person with no outstanding professional competence can rise rapidly on the career ladder because of his communication skills.

On the other hand, there are plenty of highly skilled people whose careers move at a snail's pace because they do not know how to carry out a good presentation, how to lobby, to negotiate or to network.

Simply put, these people have poor communication skills.

The following are some tips on verbal communication skills that can help one develop his or her career, and are part of the Professional Image training held by the Jakarta Consulting Group.

Tone and expression

Your voice is the capital with which you sell your ideas and wishes -- you should therefore maintain its quality and effectiveness during verbal communications through good intonation, dynamics, proper tempo and pauses, and convincing expression.

Try not to have an accent -- a difficult feat, certainly, but at least try not to let it sound too pronounced in your conversation.

Speak in a level tone, with good sequencing of words and the right pauses and tempo, in order to appear assertive but not pushy or rough.

Your voice shows whether or not you believe the ideas that you are selling.

Try not to let the sound of your breathing be heard.

Control respiration so that you will find it easier to break your sentences properly.

You will then be able to speak clearly without using a monotone and sound more expressive.

Try also to show great enthusiasm while talking in order to encourage people to listen to you better. Do not speak too fast.

The power of words

Use the power of words to complement the characteristics of your voice.

Try not to use words that you find difficult to pronounce but instead replace them with words that you are comfortable using. Use "strong" words and phrases in order to appear powerful.

You need to master elements of the language such as synonyms, antonyms and idioms covering a variety of subjects so that you will have a rich and highly effective vocabulary.

Try also to master the diversity of the language -- for instance, formal and informal conversations, the dialect that is used among your peers, verbal and written language, the language that is used for business or journalistic purposes.

Familiarize yourself with the language that is used within a particular circle and use the proper expressions while among that circle.

Be flexible, and learn to use words that are suitable for different situations.

In addition to focusing on the subject that you are trying to convey, try to also concentrate on how you deliver your message.

Conversation

One factor that attributed to Henry Ford's success was his extraordinary communication skills.

He was able to express who he was by issuing spectacular remarks that held the world spellbound.

His remark "A bore is a fellow who opens his mouth and puts feats in it" was quotable because he managed to clearly convey an important concept using words that were easily understood.

Ford knew the power of words and used them to his advantage. He delivered his messages through simple, orderly words that were so easy to understand that the world listened.

This is one of the esthetics of communication: the beauty of simplicity.

When communicating, try to demonstrate empathy toward those with whom you are conversing so that the exchange of words becomes more meaningful.

Your ability to emphasize will show through and your audience will listen better to what you have to say.

Active listener

An effective communication is one where the communicator and the "communicant" both display high communication skills as well as the ability to listen actively.

You can become an active listener by inviting the person you to whom you are talking to reveal something about themselves -- the focus, of course, should be the current situation facing both of you.

Listen well and look interested when you listen to other people. Respond and give sensitive feedback.

Know when to speak, when to interrupt and how to steer the conversation toward the goal that you want to achieve. Maintain eye contact throughout the conversation.

The principles of good communication delineated above can be summed up in the following concept: RISE. This means active listening and Respond, Interrupt, Support and Expand (widening or bringing the conversation to the subject that we have in mind).

This can be achieved by paying attention, being sensitive and showing congeniality and empathy.

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