4 Ways You Can Practice Confident Communication

One skill that is needed in any career is communication – solid, confident communication. Whether it’s getting the job initially or working toward a promotion, communicating well makes all the difference. Here are a few ways to practice positive communication each day.

• What Does Your Body Language Say? Crossed arms? Slouched posture? Negative body language can shift the tone of conversation for better or worse. Ask a coworker or friend to make note of your body language, and practice ending one bad habit each day.

• Make Eye Contact Maintaining eye contact says that you’re interested in the conversation and your thoughts aren’t drifting to other matters.

• Be an Active Listener Active listening engages your conversation partner through incorporating what they’ve said into your response.

• Read Emails Thoroughly Active listening can also be applied to the digital space. Everyday we read emails – sometimes without actually reading them. Focus on ensuring that you’ve read the entirety of your emails instead of scanning. Missing important details conveys that you’re not giving the task the attention it deserves.