In this week’s episode of the Art of Business English I am starting a new 2-part series giving you 10 hacks to improve your business English communication skills.
What happens sometimes, is that we focus so much on learning that we often forget that we already have a lot of “tools” that we can work with. Furthermore, being an effective communicator is more than just being able to speak well. In fact, many terrible communicators are very capable of talking a lot, they never stop talking about themselves and they never let anyone else talk.
In today’s episode I am going to give you the first 5 hacks for being a better communicator. you can listen to the episode or you can check out my video below.
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So, let’s get started with the first 5 hacks for better communication skills.
Keep it Simple
Sounding fancy and using complicated words does not improve communication skills.
Keep it short and concise
the English language uses very fixed structures with subject, verb, object. Sentences are also very short. The shorter and more concise your discourse, the more effective your communication.
Use sequencing language
What to better structure your thoughts and ideas? Well, you need to use sequencing language. These simple yet highly effective words can help improve the flow and clarity of your discourse. Some examples of them are:
- Firstly, in the first place, first of all
- Secondly, in the second place
- Then, next
- Finally, to wrap up, in conclusion
Listen! Stop thinking about what you want to say next
Humans are terrible listeners, however, if you want to be an effective communicator, you need to listen more. Listening is how we can have real connections with people. When we listen effectively, we can understand the problems and real issues. Try stopping yourself from talking 3 times before you actually say something when in your next conversation.
Ask genuine questions
One of the benefits of listening is that you can then ask genuine questions. If we want to understand the small things and get to the bottom of a problem, then we need to be asking the right questions.
When we ask genuine questions, we are showing to the other person that we care about them and their specific situation.
Watch the lesson below
So there you have my first 5 hacks for being a better communicator, not only in English, but also in your native language. Make sure you stay tuned for next week's episode where I will be finishing the last 5 in this 2-part series.
If you haven't already got your copy of our eBook then take a look. If you are serious about developing a wide range of vocabulary in English then you can't go wrong with our 500 business collocations eBook for everyday use.
Please feel free to leave me your comments below and don't hesitate to leave me any questions.
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