Much like digital skills and work – related skills – how to be punctual, diligent, goal-oriented and attentive to details – communication skills are one of the most important elements to include not only in the CV but also in the interview. job.
Without forgetting that, in order to achieve success in the sphere of work, it is essential to continuously seek to develop these and other transversal skills (or soft skills).
Check out in this article what are the main communication skills and abilities that you must have in order to be successful in the professional world:
5 of the most valued communication skills in the professional world:
1. Write clearly and concisely
It does not necessarily mean omitting details (especially if they are important) when transmitting written information. It means knowing how to gather appropriate information, as well as prioritizing and organizing the information to be transmitted according to its relevance. The key is to exclude personal opinions / reports that do not add anything significant.
As a general rule, your boss will not be interested in knowing how unsympathetic the Human Resources employee who attended you when you open the e-mail box. You will only be interested in whether or not you have succeeded in the task delegated to you, and what to do if it has not been successfully completed. The update structure should be as follows:
- Summary – an objective summary of the present situation
- Explanation – a brief justification with no personal opinions (if anything has failed)
- Solution – what to do to complete the task / project Note: Never forget to start and end emails or messages in a cordial and / or appropriate way, depending on the situation.
2. Speak correctly and unambiguously
This competence implies, on the one hand, knowing how to transmit information orally correctly through an appropriate vocabulary. That is, without it being too simple or too far-fetched. On the other hand, it also implies that when transmitting information through the spoken language, it does so effectively without being concerned only with registration.
Try to imagine a mind map organized by topics where you can visualize the important things you have to say. Then, keep in mind that for each topic you should only focus on conveying essential information and in order to articulate a clear vision. Finally, never forget: when in doubt, it is always preferable to transmit more information than less. Also remember that one way to consistently expand and update your vocabulary is to read.
3. Listen actively
Most people are just focused on having their interlocutor finish talking and then counterattack with the mental speech he had already prepared 5 minutes ago. Active listening is just the opposite: it presupposes that you are available to question yourself and question your ideas, as well as playing an active role in a conversation even while you are in silence. Listening actively implies thus having an open mind and that can fit or at least consider new perspectives. If at first you cannot get this behavior to genuinely flow, try following these steps:
- let the other person talk to the end without interrupting
- provide a verbal indication, topped off by an introspective silence, which demonstrates that you have understood what you have just heard, and are considering
- finally, if you have any constructive comments on the subject, make a “sandwich” with your criticism / note, marking it for 2 positive things that you liked in the content of the other person’s idea
4. Be persuasive
Being persuasive is different from being manipulative. A manipulative person is someone who forces others to take part in their interests through force, blackmail, or lying. A persuasive person seeks to convince others through innocuous communication techniques and strategies. Some of these persuasion techniques that several studies indicate are effective are for example:
Praise the other sincerely – Find anything that truly pleases you in the person you want to persuade. In this way, the compliment will sound sincere and does not run the risk of being a “shiner”. This logic is based on the associative mechanisms between memory, the somatic marker, and the prefrontal lobes.
Small favors – Not only doing but asking small favors are two things that will increase the degree of suggestibility of the person you want to persuade. It has to do with the genetics of the cooperation mechanisms of the human species.
Context – timing and circumstance are 2 of the 3 fundamental factors for establishing an effective persuasion strategy. The third factor is the person’s susceptibility to be persuaded.
5. Give feedback
In order to give feedback in a constructive way, it is advisable to take into account some guidelines. First, focus on how things went instead of focusing on the person. Another important aspect is to give feedback in a timely manner, so that the person has time to integrate
