Getting on with communication skills

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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