Sorry you only get 5 this time…..but this is quality….not quantity.

Remember these tips to help you improve your communication skills immediately:

1. Learn to listen.
Listening skills are critical. Be sure to pay attention when you are receiving information about a potential job. Give your full attention to the person who is speaking. You may need to recall the information a few minutes later in order to ask intelligent questions based on what was said. Be sure not to let your mind wander. You cannot listen well if you are thinking of what to say next.

Stay focused. Sit up straight and look directly at the speaker if in person or in a mirror if on the phone. Now and then nod to let the speaker know you are actively listening. Be sure to let the speaker finish what they are saying. When you interrupt, it appears as if you are not listening.

2. Slow down your rate of speech.
Simply slowing down your rate will significantly improve your speech quality. The average rate per minute varies from about 130-150 words. For suggestions on how to check your rate of speech, send an e-mail to info@corporatespeechsolutions.com.

3. Finish your words.
Remember hearing the saying, “Don’t swallow your words”? People are in such a hurry to complete a task at hand that they forget to finish their words. Old becomes ol’; fishing becomes fishin’; business becomes busin’. … You get the idea. In the course of a conversation, this doesn’t just cause “sloppy speech,” it forces the listener to work harder to understand you. In business, people don’t want to work harder. They want to get the information and move to the next item. Learn to finish your words.

4. Many words in English sound similar.
“Still” versus “steal”? “Hill” versus “heal”? “Cab versus “cap”? If you do not speak clearly, how will the listener be sure what you are saying? “Will you grab the cab?” Is your friend asking you to grab the cap that he left in the other room or the cab so you can head downtown together?

5. Learn to speak clearly and effectively on the telephone.
Today, most of our daily business is conducted over the telephone. Often we have meetings with multiple people on the telephone. There are many high-frequency sounds that can be lost if you do not learn to speak clearly your message can be misinterpreted.

Speaking clearly takes practice, but it is an integral part of effective business communication.

Thanks to The Technology Ladders for their information.

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