By Shazad
I’m not an English major or a famous writer…yet. I have been told by a few people that I’m “good with words” because they appreciate the way I communicate in meetings, training workshops or via instant messaging and email. I thought about this a little and found it very strange that more people do not speak or write well enough to be complimented in this way. What makes us human is the ability to clearly express ourselves in verbal and written communication. So much of human history is shared and enjoyed because we can speak about amazing things and write about historical events or possibilities of the future.
I challenge everyone who thinks that only some people can speak or write well. Communication is something we all learn at a very young age. It’s not a talent but an acquired skill. Everyone can become better at communicating ideas more clearly and in multiple forms whether that is audio, video or in writing. We all have some talent in a certain kind of communication and it’s easy to just focus on that but that is limiting yourself. I'm an introvert and was not very good in English class nor was I able to stand in front of people to say anything meaningful until my mid-20's. I realized that I need to get over my fear of speaking and develop myself. I still challenge myself to become more skilled in every kind of communication and variations of communications such as short and long-form writing along with speaking. This helps me to learn new skills and effectively share ideas with peers and friends. Being an effective communicator also makes personal relationships better and richer which is what everyone wants!
Let’s make communications excellence the norm for the benefit of our professional and personal lives. Being a capable communicator should eventually become as routine as having good posture, personal grooming or kindness. Everything we do as human beings and our interaction with technology revolves around effective communication at it's core so let’s make an intentional effort to constantly refine our abilities on a daily basis. Let's make sure all of us become "good with words"!
Here are 3 steps to being better at communication:
Communicate often and pay attention to your words. Record yourself on video and keep your old writings.
Read your own writing and listen to recordings of yourself to see how you sound. Compare to your past writings or audio to see how far you have come.
Ask for regular feedback from trusted friends and peers regarding how clearly and effectively you express your ideas.
Practice explaining complex things in the simplest terms and ask for feedback. If your audience understands you, you will be successful.
Bonus: Watch videos of great communicators from the past and modern times to see what they do to Inform, Inspire or Instruct.