Without a doubt, one of the pieces of advice I would give to any professional is to communicate better. I am fully convinced that to have a great performance in any field, it is (almost) essential to be a very good communicator.
For example, the most renowned football coaches in the world such as Ancelotti, Guardiola, or Simeone and others have very different styles, tactics, and ways of working, but they have in common that they are great communicators. In my opinion, it is almost impossible to be a great coach without being a great communicator. And the same thing happens in many other professions. To be a great politician, it is almost essential to be a great communicator. The same idea applies to commercials, teachers, consultants, coaches, executives and many other professions. In order to develop great leadership and a great personal brand, you have to communicate well. Paul J. Meyer – writer and leadership expert – said that “communication is key to your personal and professional success.”
While it is true that we do not all have the same potential or the same talent for communication, it is also true that we can all improve a lot in the way we communicate. Here are 5 IDEAS THAT WILL HELP YOU COMMUNICATE BETTER:
- READ A LOT. Reading is essential to communicate well. Apart from the fact that you will learn a lot and have fun, you will pick up a lot of vocabulary, expressions, and ideas that will help you to communicate better. In this sense, I recommend my post: Read (A LOT) more. I also share with you my 48 favorite books, in case they may be of interest to you: 48 years, 48 books.
- ATTEND CONFERENCES. Attending conferences will help you communicate better. Surely near where you are you have many possibilities to attend conferences. Most are usually free and very interesting. Apart from learning about the topic in question, look at the speakers. What do they do, how do they say it, what anecdotes do they tell, how do they arouse interest, how do they start their speeches, how do they close them… Surely you get many ideas and some of them you can incorporate into your repertoire following your own style of communication. You can also watch many conferences online, either on YouTube or on other platforms. Sure, you will like it and you will learn a lot.
- TRAIN YOURSELF. Look for courses on communication, on public speaking and train yourself. Training today is more democratic than ever: there are numerous free or very low-cost options where you can learn to communicate better. Visit Coursera, Youtube, Udemy, or any other platform and you will surely find interesting courses on communication. Also at a face-to-face level, you can probably discover interesting courses at the Chamber of Commerce, University, or any other training organization.
- PRACTICE A LOT. As with any practical skill, communication only gets better if you practice it. In this sense, go for opportunities. Participate more in meetings where you are usually quieter. Look for opportunities to speak in public; Surely in your environment, you discover some options that can help you get the experience you need to be a great communicator. Practice, rehearse, analyze yourself, record yourself and correct what is necessary.
- HIRE A PROFESSIONAL. If you really want to make a significant leap in the level of your communication, hire a coach or trainer to accompany you on your way to improving your communication. Someone to help you discover what you do well and what you can improve as a communicator. To help you draw up your growth plan, and to give you ideas, tools, and advice to help you improve. And the coach can give you the motivation and energy to move to the next level of communication. Unfortunately, in Spain, it is rare to have a coach. In other cultures, such as Northamerican, many professionals are used to having a coach who accompanies them in their main challenges. In my professional life, I have been lucky enough to work with several coaches who have helped me a lot in my professional career. I have also been fortunate to accompany numerous people in their personal growth. I can assure you that working with a coach, or a mentor can help you significantly improve your communication skills.
5 ideas available to everyone to help you communicate better. Because as Richard Branson says, “communication is the most important skill any leader can possess.”
