Communication skills have always been ranked as one of the most requested soft skills by employers in the past year’s job postings. Developing and mastering basic communication skills can help you advance in your career and give you a competitive edge over other candidates when looking for a new job. 

In this article, we will discuss the importance of communication skills and ways you can improve this skill. 

What are communication skills?

Communication is the act of giving and receiving information between one subject (be it an individual or a group of people) and another by the use of some symbols, signs or rules of communication. that both sides understand. 

In the simplest terms, communication is the process of sending and receiving different types of information.

If you are the “sender” of the information, this means that you must communicate the information clearly from the start, then ask questions to check the understanding of the listener. You must also listen to their answers and clarify further if necessary. If you are the “receiver” of the information, it means that you must listen carefully to the information from the speaker, and then ask the speaker back questions to make sure that both of you understand the topic. situation.

Communication channels can be:

1. Verbal Communication : This is the most common type of communication. This channel needs to use a common language that both listeners and speakers can understand;
2. Written communication : Younger generation prefers to use written communication channel rather than verbal communication when not meeting face to face. Texting, commenting, rating, and emailing have all become forms of written communication;
3. Visual communication : Logos, maps, drawings, charts, graphs,… any form of communication that relies on visual stimuli with little or no text to convey. conveying messages, are called visual communication;
4. Nonverbal Communication : Body language, gestures, facial expressions, head nods, and other body movements all fall under the category of nonverbal communication (nonverbal communication). This is a way of communication that reflects 100% honesty and is hard to fake.

In fact, a person with communication skills often proficiently uses all four communication channels above, corresponding to two forms of communication: face-to-face communication and indirect communication. 

Why practice communication skills?

In addition to helping in work, communication skills also help you a lot in all aspects of life. Although the form of communication can change with each stage of life, its importance remains unchanged. And here is the importance of communication skills in each situation:

1. The importance of communication skills in daily life

One of the main reasons communication skills are so important is because they help foster stronger relationships and build trust with people. Being an effective communicator will make it easier for you to find opportunities yourself and seize them when they arise. 

Not only that, communication is also the best way to resolve any conflicts that may arise in your life or relationships. 

2. The importance of communication skills in organizations and businesses

First, effective communication improves employee productivity and motivation. Employees who regularly discuss work with managers tend to be more effective than those who only accept the tasks assigned by their superiors and then diligently follow them. In addition, effective communication between employees and different departments acts as a lubricant to help the organization run more smoothly, thereby increasing the overall performance and productivity of the organization. 

Second, effective communication is what drives us to share and expand our knowledge, as well as to apply this knowledge to generate new ideas. Knowledge, if kept only to oneself and never shared with the world, tends to lose its value. 

Third, good communication creates strong teams. Only through communication can team members learn to trust each other and work effectively. The breakdown of communication between members is a sign of the disbandment of a team in the not too distant future. Fourth, communication in the workplace enhances employee satisfaction.

If employees aren’t allowed to have a voice and feel like their opinions aren’t being valued enough or are simply being heard, employee satisfaction plummets. This will ultimately lead to long-term consequences for the company, as dissatisfied employees tend to face reduced motivation and overall productivity. 

7 important skills in communication

Here are important skills to make communication easier and more effective:

1. Listening skills

An important thing that you need to note here: The essence of the communication process is a two-way information exchange process, that is, in a communication there must be both a speaker and a listener. If we just say “tao tao never stop” without listening to what the other person has to say, surely the rest of us will get bored and stop the conversation immediately. 

So if you want to build stronger relationships with people, don’t just talk to them, listen to what they’re saying. Although it seems simple, this is a difficult skill, it will take you a lot of time to develop and improve this skill.

2. Communication and behavior skills

Communication skills are related to all manners when speaking, walking, greeting. Although those things don’t completely describe your true personality, it is enough to give others a bad impression of you. When dealing with people who speak softly and behave delicately, people tend to be easier to talk to and communicate more openly. 

3. Persuasion and negotiation skills

Of course, in life we ​​cannot avoid situations of conflicts of interest with others. And to solve this problem peacefully, we will need to use persuasion and negotiation skills. It not only keeps the friendship but also helps both sides achieve the highest benefits.

4. Questioning skills

Asking questions is an important communication skill that helps us gain more information, and without it, interpersonal communication can be unsuccessful. 

Although questions are often expressed verbally, sometimes a nonverbal act is also considered a question. For example, raising the eyebrows is the equivalent of asking “Are you sure?”, which when combined with different facial expressions can be applied in different times and contexts. 

Asking questions is not difficult, but asking questions must be skillful and at the right time to be appreciated. Before asking a question, you should ask yourself a few questions:

– Is the question suitable for the opponent?

– Is this the right time to ask questions?

– How do I expect the respondent to respond?

5. Situational handling skills

In reality, we are not always prepared to answer, but there are certain situations, such as when going to a job interview, that require you to show a quick improvisational mindset to prove your ability. 

To master the skill of handling situations, we need to be exposed and stumble many times with all kinds of different situations. Only then will we form our own bravery and confidence when facing all challenges.

6. Teamwork skills

Communication and teamwork are two skills that go hand in hand. When team members have good communication skills, they will be able to work together more effectively, reducing the risk of misunderstandings or conflicts. 

7. Practice observation when communicating

In the process of communicating, you need to skillfully observe the other person’s body language to make appropriate actions, but avoid staring, making them feel unnatural. 

For example, if you are convincing someone to buy a shirt, when you present the product’s advantages and price, the customer doesn’t say anything but frowns many times. This is a sign that they are not satisfied with your sales, stop convincing them to buy the shirt, instead probe their requirements and desires for product advice. more suitable.

How to practice communication skills for success

Communication skills can be improved and better every day if you know how to practice with these 5 tips:

1. Listen

To become a good communicator, it is important that you practice active listening. Active listening or active listening is completely different from passive listening. Active listening requires you to pay attention to what others are saying and to interact with them by asking questions to show the speaker that you are really listening.

2. Always respect the opposite person

Communication will always go well when both you and the other person respect each other. When you’re having a conversation, you should respect the other person’s opinion and point of view and let them talk openly about what they’re thinking. 

If you want others to respect your thoughts, you must also respect and listen to them. Forcing your thoughts on others never works well and often leads to failure in the entire communication process.

3. Confidence in yourself

Ideas and thoughts presented confidently tend to make a better impression on those in front of them. Confidence shows your understanding of the subject and this makes it easier for the other person to believe in your abilities.

To project confidence in conversations, you can do things like maintain eye contact and maintain good body language. Doing all of these things will help you effectively connect with your audience and leave a lasting impression.

4. Speak clearly with the right volume

Your tone of voice has a huge impact on a listener’s first impression. A slightly deep and calm voice is often preferred to create a better connection with the listener.

In addition to tone, the volume or loudness of your voice also plays an important role in establishing the right atmosphere for an effective conversation. If your voice is too low, people will have a hard time trying to hear what you’re saying. Conversely, a loud voice that sounds aggressive will tend to upset the audience.

Balance both your tone and the volume of your voice to make people more comfortable communicating with you.

5. Ask others to give you feedback

Honestly, feedback from others can be intimidating at times, but it’s an essential ingredient to practicing effective communication skills. 

During the conversation, you should prompt the listener to share their thoughts on both the information you are sharing and the way you convey your thoughts and ideas. This will allow you to understand how receptive your audience is.

In addition, constructive feedback clearly tells you where your strengths should be maintained and where you need to improve in your communication.

Some mistakes to avoid in communication

Here is a bad habit that we need to avoid in the process of communication, if we do not want the other person to feel uncomfortable. Compare how many of these 10 mistakes you make and find ways to fix them.

1. Interrupt others without asking permission;
2. Not listening attentively: watching the clock, scratching his head, scratching his neck, rolling his eyes constantly, looking at his nails, looking at the ceiling, shaking his thighs, Buddha chair, …
3. Asking questions that are too private, such as business secrets or personal information;
4. Calling the wrong name of the opposite person;
5. Do not dare to make eye contact with the other party;
6. Talk to others privately while someone is presenting;
7. Misstatement of the topic under discussion;
8. Criticize straight face;
9. Use the subject “I” instead of “We” when working in groups;
10. Acting as a “know-it-all” person like “You don’t need to say this, I know it”;

Dear friends, good communication skills are the key to help you build relationships and get further in your career. No matter what age you are, you can hone your communication skills and become an excellent communicator. Therefore, carefully study the information we have just given in the article above and follow these 5 tips to better communicate.