Improve Your Communication Skills

The ability to communicate professionally is so important today. Unfortunately, it appears our society is sliding backwards, especially regarding writing. The advent of instant messaging and Tweeting, along with Blackberrys and other devices seem to have spawned a whole new form of written communication.

Problem is, much of this writing is poor. Writers tend to ignore the rules of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. Speaking skills are stronger, but many people could still use some help. It's time we take stock of our communication skills, and make a commitment to improving where needed.

The following suggestions, offered in no particular order, can help you write and speak better in the months and years ahead.

Join Toastmasters - This highly respected organization helps you improve your oral communication and presentation skills in a friendly, supportive environment. Dues are modest, especially when you consider the guidance and experience you receive.

Watch for chances to speak - Anniversaries, birthday parties, and reunions provide additional opportunities to speak. Give a reading at your church, or develop a presentation for work. Take advantage of these speaking engagements to get over your jitters and to polish the skills you learn in Toastmasters or other organizations.

Practice your diction - If you tend to speak quickly and rush through longer words, spend a few moments practicing the proper pronunciation. Some of the more common words include finally ("finely") and probably ("probbly"), along with "gonna", "wanna", and "shoulda".

With proper enunciation you stand a better chance of being understood the first time. Plus you sound more professional.

Record yourself - You may think you speak clearly, but you'll be surprised at how you truly sound. Record yourself as you rehearse your speech or presentation. Listen for the gaffes listed above, as well as for filler words like um, ah, you know, and others. Commit to removing them from your vocabulary.

Digital recorders are really inexpensive nowadays. I picked up a nice one from Radio Shack for $30, but many stores carry them. You have many brands and models to choose from.

Expand your literary horizon - Go beyond the types of newspapers and magazines you normally read. Observe how writers from other business sectors and political viewpoints present their topics. You may learn a new style of writing and some useful words as well.

Join a writers club - Although designed for full-time writers, others can benefit from the support and critique offered. The regular meetings will encourage you to write more frequently. Perhaps you will find you are a budding poet or novelist after all. The additional writing experience will help you hone your skills.

Enhance your reference guides - In addition to a dictionary and thesaurus, consider purchasing Strunk and White's The Elements of Style or the latest version of the journalism stylebook. Those who speak frequently should pick up a book of famous quotes and sayings. Add zip to your speech with powerful words from a famous person.

Develop patience - On first glance this doesn't appear to be related to communicating. But part of being a good communicator is having patience. Ignore the temptation to finish the speaker's comment or question. Pause and think before responding. In addition to being polite, you are more apt to answer appropriately.

Make a commitment to improving your communications skills, and you will be rewarded with an enriched personal and professional life.

HONE AND IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS

Some of use still lack confidence when we stand up and speak. This course will teach you what you need to know to win over your audience. Perhaps you just need to give that edge to your presentation or energize your sales team. This audio/visual and e-book program will set you apart.

If you're ready to take your writing to a new level, check out these great resources. To ramp up your writing, choose 101 Ways to power up your writing. Every business can use a powerful e-newsletter to tell its story. Perhaps you've always wanted to write a novel. Now you can learn how.