How To Improve Your Verbal Communication Skills

What is Verbal Communication and Why is it Important?

Whether face-to-face or via phone, good speaking skills are a precious aspect of professional and personal life. When you speak confidently and with poise, you tend to command the respect of others. Good verbal communication skills are an exceptionally essential trait to possess in business interactions.

Speaking skills are vital to be an effective manager, advance in your career, or even receive good job prospects. A good self-introduction, for example, can leave a lasting impression on the people you meet.

Here are some excellent methods that will help you understand what is verbal communication and ways to improve it.

• Learn to speak thoughtfully By organizing your thoughts, you will avoid pauses and speak more concisely. It may be a good idea to jot down your thoughts and keep a note to guide you. In impromptu discussions, take a moment to assimilate your thoughts before you speak. Ensure you have a logical sequence to your points to ensure you talk freely. A good flow is a definite sign of a good speaker.

• Modulate your tone of voice Remember the dreary lectures and the many boring speakers that you have come across in your life. An inability to modulate delivery will permanently alienate an audience. Practice voice modulation—emphasizing essential points and varying the pitch of your voice to express emotion. It will keep your audience engaged in your message.

• Exude confidence When you begin to speak, even before people start to absorb your words, your confidence or the lack of it will be visible. The spirit that you exude determines the impact of your communication. Good command over the subject matter gives you the confidence to talk. And the tone of your voice, body language, and maintaining eye contact with your audience are essential aspects of self-confidence in verbal communication.

• Understand your audience The simplest example of tailoring your style of communicating to suit the audience is how we talk to kids versus how we address adults. Similarly, even in an organizational context, you need to modify your speaking style depending upon who or what kind of person you are addressing. This means you must learn to ‘speak the other person’s language’’ This customization makes your verbal communication effective.

• Listen carefully Being a good listener is vital for a good speaker. Being a careful listener will strengthen the quality of your verbal interactions. It proves to people that you genuinely care about their views, and it helps build trust and rapport much quicker. It also enables you to connect with your audience and keeps them engaged.

• Be clear and concise Unlike in written form, where the receiver can go back and refer to a point, in spoken form, using complex sentences will only end up confusing your listeners. A simple exercise is to ask yourself, what would be the most straightforward way to make your point? Getting your point across clearly and concisely is essential for good verbal communication.

• Recognize non-verbal cues Body language helps others interpret what you are saying. Be conscious about the gestures you make, your facial expressions, and your body movements to ensure they align with the message you are trying to get across. It is equally important to read the body language of the people you are speaking to. Maintain eye contact and learn to pick up on any hesitations or lack of engagement.

A final word

Good verbal communication, interpersonal, or within small groups, or addressing large audiences, requires constant practice. One can never underestimate the power of articulation. Even the most knowledgeable can fail to succeed in life if they cannot articulate their thoughts and opinions. On the contrary, you needn’t be the most knowledgeable person around to follow if you can master the power of verbal communication.