You interact with a variety of people at work, and knowing how to improve your verbal communication skills can make a significant difference in those interactions. It is not solely about the words you say, but also the verbal and nonverbal cues you use when communicating. By developing these abilities, you can establish yourself as someone that people want to engage with and listen to—whether they are colleagues, clients or potential employers. In this article, we explain these skills and provide a list on how to improve verbal communication skills at work.

Think before speaking

People often feel uncomfortable with silence, but pausing before answering a question can improve your response. Taking time to reflect allows you to organize your thoughts into a concise, clear statement. If you feel rushed to answer, that feeling will get reflected in how you respond, so your message may not come out as intended. Pauses convey a sense of thoughtfulness, so your audience will gain the impression that you considered the best response before speaking.

Similarly, if your counterpart pauses for a moment, do not feel the need to jump in and counter the silence. The person will appreciate that you gave them the time to contemplate their response, rather than interrupting their thought process. Not only does this show professionalism, but it also demonstrates your interest in hearing what they have to say.

 Use concise language

Being succinct when speaking not only make your message easier to understand but also gets your main points across to the audience sooner. Before speaking, ask yourself how you can present the information as clearly and in as few words as possible. Whether you are writing or speaking, avoid using complicated words and sentences or including irrelevant information. Taking these steps will ensure your audience clearly understands your primary points and can respond accordingly. This skill is especially beneficial when providing instructions or expectations to colleagues, as your directness ensures there is little confusion.

Understand your audience

To effectively communicate messages, you need to understand your audience and put yourself in their position. Not everyone has the same knowledge or background as you, so ensure you explain information in a manner easily understood by anyone—especially when discussing complex or technical topics. Also, try to take your audience’s culture or personality into consideration, as different demographics have their own communication preferences. For example, you would speak to a close friend much differently than you would to an executive at a company.

Be mindful of your tone

Your tone plays a crucial role in verbal communications, and how you use it can affect the way your audience engages with you. Combing a friendly and warm tone with a smile makes a positive impression. Meanwhile, speaking in a flat or monotone manner can make you appear uninterested, which can put off an audience. Also, try to vary your tone and use inflection to emphasize important points. This technique is an easy way to focus the attention of your audience.

Pay attention to your body language

Your body language can affect how you deliver messages despite it being a nonverbal method of communication. Ways to convey confident body language include maintaining eye contact and having relaxed body language. You can also use gestures or facial expressions to emphasize points and grab audiences’ attention or focus.

Employ active listening

Listening is as essential as speaking during conversations because it demonstrates a genuine interest in the other speaker and guarantees you understand their needs. As a result, you will find it easier to build rapport and relationships. To apply active listening skills, give the other person your full attention to ensure you not only hear the words they say but also the message they want to convey. When the other person feels heard, they feel more interested in reciprocating and hearing what you have to say.