Verbal Communication
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Verbal communication is the act of sharing information between individuals by the use of speech. Any interaction that makes use of spoken words is considered as verbal communication. It is an integral part of the business world. Oral communication used within an organization includes personal discussions, staff meetings, telephone discourse, formal and informal conversations and presentations.
Outside of the organization, verbal communication may take the form of phone calls, face-to-face meetings, speeches, teleconferences, or video conferences. Business managers having effective verbal communication skills can communicate more precisely with their subordinates. Similarly, employees having excellent communication skills are highly valued and demanded in any organization.
Importance of Verbal Communication
Excellent verbal communication is a key to maintaining successful business relationships. Effective communication causes productivity to increase, errors to decrease and operations to run smoother.
- The way employees communicate with each other portrays an organization’s image and this image could be the first impression or the last.
- Good verbal communication skills of the employees of an organization foster excellent business relationships with other organizations, customers, suppliers, etc.
- Good verbal communication at the workplace is critical to the companies with a workforce from a diverse background. It helps reduce the barriers produced because of cultural and language differences. Many multinational companies arrange training to inculcate effective communication skills in their employees which prove very beneficial in the long run.
- Effective verbal communication between employer and employee also increases job satisfaction level.
- Employees feel secure when they are communicated effectively. Receiving the right and updated information from their superiors boost their confidence and productivity.
- Excellent verbal communication skills increase the ability of the individuals to share ideas, thoughts and concerns with each other.
How to improve your verbal communication skills
Excellent verbal communications skills are essential in the corporate world. If you want to have a thriving career, you need to improve your verbal communication skills. Here are some tips to improve these skills and excel at your workplace.
- Read more. It improves your vocabulary and helps you express ideas more clearly. It also eliminates weaknesses in your language skills. It will be useful if you prefer to read things relevant to your field, e.g., business texts, newspapers, and publications.
- Prepare yourself. If you are anticipating any situation, take time out to prepare the answers to the questions you may be asked. If you have to deliver a presentation, you should be prepared for tricky questions. You may need to explain something in a different way.
- Listen carefully. Listening more and talking less proves to be very effective. This helps people to trust you and show them that you understand their needs. When they speak, make an eye contact. It shows your interest in them. It will also improve rapport you are trying to build.
- Be mindful. For clear, accurate, and considerate communication, one should make sure that his words, tone, gestures, facial expressions and body language go with the conversation.
- Think about people’s perspectives. Think about what you are saying from the listener’s perspective. Formulate your responses accordingly. Just because you understand what you mean, doesn’t mean that they will understand it too.
- Develop your skills. You should work on developing your communication skill. There are many techniques you can learn to help improve it. Mind mapping, workshops, and online communication courses can be very helpful in this regard.
