Communication is one of the most important skill to have these days and there are many coaches who can help you build your communication skill. Now that there are more than a dozen tools of communication it is key that we learn the art of communication that builds strong connections. Whether you are communicating via an app or face-to-face it’s important to remember that long-lasting connections need strong communication skills. Hence it’s important to ensure that you improve your communication skills whether it’s listening or paying attention. Let us understand together how to build stronger connections and improve communications.

Understanding the Importance of Strong Connections

Building strong relationships is important in both professional and personal lives. A good communicator is able to convey their message to anyone with ease and without hesitation this helps build strong connections in personal and professional lives. Similarly, an effective communicator may be able to build and foster a very strong and emotional connection with their loved ones. Learning to build strong connections and improve communication is something we must constantly strive for.

Develop Active Listening Skills

Half of good communication relies upon listening. Listening is a huge skill and an asset that will help you in understanding the people around you what are their issues and how do they communicate. So learn to listen with compassion and pay full attention rather than listening half-heartedly.  This allows the other person to feel heard and you are able to process information and provide valid and useful feedback. Learning to improve your communication mostly depends on learning to listen and be attentive in the moment. Also learn to let the other person finish their sentences and not interrupt them, along with nodding and other physical cues to let them know you are listening to your partner, employer, peer, or whoever it may be. Being attentive is the key.

Practice Empathy

Having empathy for people and their feelings is key to building strong connections. When people get the feeling that they can rely on you to understand their problems and be empathetic towards them they are more comfortable sharing their feelings. After that its your responsibility to have empathy and genuine care towards the feelings and emotions of the other person. Learning to be kind and sympathetic towards others helps build long lasting and stronger connections.

Foster Open and Honest Communication

Strive and learn to build open and honest relationships with people. Allowing people to be vulnerable with you and your ability to understand what the other person is going through and your empathetic nature will allow people to trust you and be open with you. It’s not easy to be vulnerable or to build faith it takes time and patience and you have to invest energy into fostering open and honest communication with the people that surround you. Being honest in your relationships whether professional or personal will allow others to trust you and that is a huge asset.

Develop Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence comes from building self-awareness the more self-aware you are the better control you will have on your own emotions. Emotionally intelligent people are able to isolate themselves from the problems that the other person is sharing and focus on the person’s issues without any of their own emotions being involved. This does not mean you are not empathetic it just means that you are able to connect with the problems of other people without letting your own emotional traumas arise.

Utilize Non-Verbal Communication

Non verbal communication is an area where a coach can really help you understand what you are missing. Non verbal cues play a very important role in fostering good connections. Non verbal cues can be as simple as nodding of the head or other hand gestures that reassure the other person of your understanding or your presence in the moment. Non verbal communication is also great for professionals as it helps them get their point across more affectively based on their hand gestures.

Build a Positive Communication Culture

Cultivating positivity in your speech and non-verbal cues will help create a positive communication culture and people will feel more open to speak their thoughts. A positive communication culture means that you share gratitude, give genuine compliments, and share positive affirmations with people. Allowing them to feel motivated to share their thoughts and play a positive role in the culture. You have treated people how you want them to treat you, hence be a positive influence and refrain from negative behavior.

Adapt Your Communication Style

Different people talk differently. Some people like to have quick and concise communication while some people might like to have a more detailed conversation. You have to understand both styles and respond accordingly. Understanding both modes of communication will lead to effective communication from your end as you will be attuned to speaking to people with both kinds of speech. This allows you the ability to foster long-term connections with anyone at all. As you have a strong understanding of their talking style you are able to communicate with them accordingly.

Be Mindful of Your Timing

Understanding people and understanding their emotional states plays a key role in helping you understand when to speak. What you said, how you said it and when you said it all plays a key role in the grand scheme of communication world. So be mindful about how to and when to approach someone with anything, it can be a sensitive topic or a simple conversation but it’s important to understand the other persons ability to take the information or the conversation. You both or the team needs to be in the mindset where the conversation is acceptable.

Seek Feedback and Continuously Improve

When and if you choose to work with a coach they will be able to give you continuous feedback about your communication skills. However, you must also seek feedback to understand your communication skills better.

How to build stronger connections and improve communications:

Enlisting the help of a coach will help you improve your communication skills much faster. Along with you following their guidance will further enhance your communication skills. This in the end will help you have better and stronger connections with people around you. Good communication skills help in both professional and personal relationships.

References:

https://www.coursera.org/articles/strategies-in-communication

https://29k.org/article/effective-communication-strategies-for-building-and-improving-relationships

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/effective-communication.htm

https://www.betterup.com/blog/effective-strategies-to-improve-your-communication-skills