Effective Communications Skills

Communication skills are an important part of human interaction. Developing effective communication skills can help any individual from the business world to interpersonal relationships. Having effective communication skills allows anyone to better understand people, situations, and situations where differences need to be resolved, or problem solving is necessary.

People send and receive dozens of messages each day. Increasingly, this is done through electronic means (email, text, etc.). Effective communication skills allow a person to understand the emotion behind a message, a nuance often lost in electronic form. Effective communication skills are also a vital part of developing trust with another individual, deepening interpersonal connections.

The first step in developing effective communication skills is to listen. Successful listen requires one to not simply hear the words being said, but to understand the underlying emotions, i.e. how the speaker feels. Effective listening allows people to avoid misunderstanding and create an environment where people feel that they are being heard.

A second vital part of effective communication skills involves nonverbal communication. Much of what we communicate is done through body language. Being able to read nonverbal communication in another allows for greater understanding of the underlying meanings of words.