Communication is the most important skill you can ever learn. It is part of every single thing we do in life. From your work to your relationships, it is no wonder why we have so many problems that stem from poor communication. Even though we live in a crazy world where it should be the easiest thing to do.  We have never been so accessible as we are today.  These days, people just text or email and don’t take the time to learn the necessary skills to communicate very well. In my business you must be a good communicator. Becoming a good communicator takes a lot of practice, and sometimes years of experience. Ask any couple that has been married for any length of time. It probably took years to learn to communicate well together. Lack of communication causes a lot of frustrations and fighting, sometimes disaster! Trust me I know this! My husband and I work together every single day in our multiple businesses. It has taken a loooooooong time to get this skill down. Here are some tips that may help you learn to communicate like a pro:

1- Learn to listen. A lot of people don’t really understand that listening is key to developing good communication. People want to be understood and valued, and that cannot happen if you talk over them and don’t take the time to listen to what they have to say. Keeping your big ole mouth shut is hard to do. I am a perfect example of this! I used to have a really hard time keeping quiet and just bowling over whoever I was talking to. I really wasn’t listening and all that did was cause a ton of frustration for both of us. If I had taken the time to be quiet and listen I would’ve known exactly what to say next. Pay attention to the other person and let the other person talk without interrupting. Then repeat the key components of the conversation so they know you were listening and understand. It shows them that what they said is worth listening to.

2- Never ever talk over people. This shows your lack of respect for others and is so rude. When you do this, you are ultimately saying to the other person that you really don’t care what they are saying and that what you have to say is more important.

3- Don’t do the drama. Try not to communicate when you are in an emotional state. We tend to say things we don’t mean and cannot take back. We can also be irrational and sometimes ridiculous. Try to calm down and think about what you want to say, and the outcome you are trying to achieve. Take time to think it through before you say anything. Remember once you say something it cannot be un-said.

4- Make eye contact. I know it makes a lot of people uncomfortable to make direct eye contact with others. Personally, I like to look someone in the eyes when I am speaking. It makes you focus on the other person and also makes them feel as if you are really listening to them and are invested in the conversation.

5- Stay positive. Maintaining a positive attitude is critical to productive communication. Being negative shuts the door to any conversation and the other person will no longer be open to anything you say. You must be positive and encouraging when trying to get your point across.

Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people. Jim Rohn

Did you find this helpful? What are some of the tips you use for effective communication- and what have your results been? Let me know in the comments. If you enjoyed this post, I would really appreciate it if you would help spread the word by sharing on Facebook. Thanks so much!