Times have changed and many new technology-related professions have come to the fore. The big changes, however, include the need for versatile people and people with communication skills. Skills that everyone should have, from the highest official to the last employee, and this, because with so much competition everything must be valid: the leader must be able to convince the employees about him and the employee that the leader needs him and all together they have to convince the "consumer". 

By Mia Kollia

Translated by Alexandros Theodoropoulos

In addition to verbal cues, effective communication is also based on non-verbal cues. Awareness of our body language and expressions is just as important. Developing skills in body language and tone of voice will dramatically improve the outcome - it's amazing how much easier it is to get the message you want when your presence is charming and as it should be. 

Developing better communication habits ultimately requires several important skills that work together harmoniously. Speech and body must be in balance to achieve the desired result. 

Six Ways to develop communication skills 

1. Posture: Non-verbal cues affect the first impression we make on someone. Maintaining eye contact, limiting hand gestures and good posture are very important elements when we meet someone for the first time. - They show calmness and self-confidence. 

2. Management of Emotions: In order to have successful communication but also to protect our personal mental health, it is important to be able to manage our emotions and express them in the appropriate way depending on the context. Letting strong emotions flow unnecessarily into the work environment can lead to negative communication and conflict. - Everyone prefers balanced and not very intense people. 

3. Empathy: Understanding the feelings of the people around us is an integral part of effective communication. Empathy means being able to understand and relate to someone else's feelings. High emotional intelligence and the ability to empathise create a more intimate relationship between us and others and increase our ability to communicate. - Empathy always helps to create a better work environment.

4. Comments and Criticism: Don’t be ashamed to ask honest comments about your communication skills from colleagues. Asking our colleagues or subordinates for advice on improving our communication skills can help us to understand better how others perceive us in our work environment. Cultivate your habits, seek other perspectives and build better relationships with your coworkers. - Criticism has never hurt anyone. Whoever can bear to listen only comes out victorious. 

5. Practice in public speaking: It may sound scary, but there is no better way to develop good communication skills than to look for opportunities to speak in public. Communicative people can express their feelings clearly, speak in a large group or talk face to face with another person. Talking regularly in front of a team will make us see our strengths and weaknesses faster so that we can develop excellent communication practices. - Repetition of mother learning! 

6. "Active" listening: Communicative people are always good listeners. Active listening means interacting with what people are saying by giving empowering answers and doing extra explanatory questions to show that we pay all our attention. Also, if we focus only on how we express ourselves, it is possible that we don’t listen or even react to what the interlocutors "bring to the table". Communicative people use different approaches to listening. They pay close attention to what is being said and make others feel that someone is listening to them and giving them importance and value. - The best speaker is also the best listener. 

Let’s see in more detail some key points of our communication policy! 

1. Listen, listen and listen. 
People want to feel that someone is watching over them. It is important to really listen to what the person is saying to us, instead of already building our answer in our mind. Ask for clarification to avoid misunderstandings. It is also nice to focus on one conversation at a time, instead of opening many fronts. This means that if you are talking to someone on the phone, do not reply to emails or sms at the same time. The other person will think that he/she doesn’t have your full attention. 

2. It matters who you talk to. 
It is ok to use acronyms and informal language when communicating with a friend, but if we send an email or an sms to our boss, then "Hugs," "TTYL" or any informal language has no place in our communication. Also, we should not assume that the person we are addressing knows the various acronyms or the modern adjectives and words. People who communicate effectively always have in mind who they are addressing and have the flexibility to tailor communication accordingly.

3. Body language and the general image shout from afar. 
This is important not only for personal meetings and teleconferencing. What applies when someone meets us, also applies to teleconferences. In fact, on such occasions, as we show only our faces, everything plays an even more catalytic role. From appearance and dressing, to the frame that the others see behind us, all play their part. 

4. Check your message before pressing the “send” button. 
Spelling and grammar are life-saving tools, but they are not infallible. Check again what you have written to make sure your words convey the desired message. Communication starts with a flawless email. 

5. Be brief but specific. 
This applies to both written and oral communication. We must always provide enough and clear information to the other person to understand what we are trying to say without flattering or repeating. Also, if you reply to an email, make sure you read it all before replying. 

6. Keep notes. 
We always keep notes while talking to another person or when we are in a meeting - do not rely on your memory, it’s not always trustworthy. Also, communicatively speaking, taking notes looks very professional! 

7. Sometimes it’s better to pick up the phone. 
If we find that we have a lot to say, instead of sending an email, we call the person unless we know he/she is in such a position that they cannot speak to us. Email is a great tool, but sometimes it's easier to say what we have to say directly. 

8. Get prepared well and think before you speak! 
Always make a stop before you speak, don’t say the first thing that comes to mind! Use some seconds and pay close attention to what you say and how you say it. It is good to be well prepared for each contact. Embarrassment is extremely destructive in communication and often derives from ignorance. 

9. Kind treatment. 
Don’t speak disparagingly of anyone and don’t speak negatively of others. We owe all people respect and kindness. 

10. Maintain a positive attitude and smile. 
Even when talking on the phone, smile because you will be in a positive mood that will be perceived by your interlocutor. When we smile often and exude a positive attitude, people respond positively.

A communication trick by Matt Abrahams 

Matt Abrahams, lecturer in Stanford Graduate School of Business, helps his students in learning to communicate better because he believes that even the best can make mistakes. Thus, he developed a logic based on three fundamental questions: "What?", “So what?” and “Now what?” 

In short, these are the three questions we need to ask ourselves and answer in any case we claim something - from a job to the sale of a product. 

What?

We need to know well WHAT we want in order to develop it simply and specifically, without exaggerating or lying because it will soon be seen. The better you know “What”, the more you will gain. 

So what? 

Nice! You know the "what". Do you know the "why"? With his "so what?", Abrahams wants to say that every desire, demand and challenge must be accompanied by firm, attractive and clear arguments; in fact with the right goal in relation to where we are heading. We owe the explanations for each case - not everything is for everyone. 

Now what? 

And now what? This concerns the impact of the result. What the others will remember of us and of what we said? How useful will we be to them? For a perfectly positive outcome and for the effectiveness of our persuasion, everything must work harmoniously - the attitude and tone of our sayings and the confidence that they exude. This is how we gain the trust of others. Always with honesty. Do not promise more than you can bear. 

Listen to our Speakers 

Statistics - Reports 
Statements that refer to the top search results: 

- Studies show that 55% of how one perceives a presenter is based in non-verbal elements. (http://ubiquity.acm.org/article.cfm?id=2043156)

- Excellent communication skills are one of the main characteristics of leaders. (https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/us-shift-forward-redefining-leadership.pdf) 

- Studies have shown that 65% of communication is non-verbal. (https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/us-shift-forward-redefining-leadership.pdf)

 Sources 

*Effective communication: 6 ways to develop your communication skills - 2021 - MasterClass - Learning effective communication skills is a simple process that allows you to express yourself and improve your personal and professional relationships. Knowing how to listen well and communicate clearly will help you to express yourself in job interviews, business meetings and your own… (https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-improve-your-communication-skills) 

* 14 Proven Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills: Calculate your audience's concentration and then divide it in two. This will be the ideal duration of your presentation. (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/300466) 

* 10 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills - Top Leaders Have Sharpened Communication Skills. If we want to improve the way we communicate, the good news is that we can do it. Learn more! (https://www.right.com.my/wcm/connect/right-us-en/old-home/thoughtwire/categories/career-work/10-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Communication-Skills)

Greek Translation from articles:
https://www.right.com.my/wcm/connect/right-us-en/old-home/thoughtwire/categories/career-work/10-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Communication-Skills