Communication may sound easy for most of us, but it is not so for the lesser found category of the population that cannot express much through words. Communication skills are especially important when you are in a lifelong relationship.
Discovery Health says that a lot of people believe effective communication to be a preamble to healthy relationship, which is indeed true. As long as you know how to get things straight to the person you are going to be with all your life, you are on a safe island. If you aren’t great at expressing, here are ways you can enhance your communication skills.
Listening Skills
Listening is a skill in itself and one that is of utmost importance in communication. Listening gives the speaker time to state whatever he/she has to completely. You may acknowledge your attention to the speaker by nodding or through verbal acknowledgement. After the speaker is done talking, repeating what he/she said in your own words will imply that you listened to the speaker as he/she wanted.
Body Language
The kind of body language a person has has a great impact on the kind of impression he/she makes. If you look bored or frequently look away in the middle of the conversation, the speaker is likely to never attempt talking to you again. By such gestures, you are giving visual clues to the speaker that you are not listening or are absolutely uninterested. Maintaining an eye contact with the speaker helps establish a foundation for excellent conversation.
Speaking Skills
Speaking directly and clearly is vital to a healthy conversation. Circumlocution only worsens the conversation. Also, the speaker must ensure to keep the tone of the conversation non-defensive. After you have made your point, ask the speaker to repeat what he/she has understood from the conversation to ensure that there is no misunderstanding.
Open-Ended Questions
Asking open-ended questions gives the opportunity to the speaker to express in full detail. For instance, if you ask a close-ended question that only demands a yes and no will make it seem like the conversation is being controlled too tightly.
Summarise
After you have spoken out anything that you may have wanted to, summarise it to ensure that the communication is transparent and effective.
Emotions
If the speaker is communicating his/her expressions, it is important to pay attention to the emotions and respond accordingly. Make sure that the emotions are acknowledged and not ignored.
