12 Communication Skills That Will Advance Your Career

12 Communication Skills That Will Advance Your Career 

Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on the Communications Alumni Network Blog. 

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If an open flow of communication exists, where employees feel their voices are heard, they often feel better about themselves and the organization they work for. On the contrary, if there is a lack of communication within an organization, this can produce an unmotivated and disgruntled workforce. Effective communication is critical to an organization’s success. 

What Is Effective Communication, Really? 

An effective communicator is one who is engaged, considerate, and really listens to the other person; taking the time to ask questions and respond accordingly. When they speak, they are clear, confident, and gracious in their interactions... 

Top 3 Communication Skills for Workplace Success 

1. Active Listening Active listening involves paying close attention to what others are saying and asking clarifying questions to demonstrate interest and understanding. This facilitates effective communication while simultaneously allowing us to show respect and build relationships with the other person with whom we are communicating. 

“We tend to focus too much on delivering our messages and opinions, and too little on listening,” Zangerl says. “Understanding what others are trying to tell us—whether it’s face-to-face or via another medium—is the basis for shared action and collaboration.” 

2. Awareness of Communication Styles There are four main communication styles you might encounter in the workplace, and Zangerl recommends that professionals be aware of all of them in order to facilitate effective communication. They are: 

•   Passive: Passive communicators are quieter and don’t always express their true feelings. They can act indifferent or agreeable, depending on the situation, in order to keep the peace and not rock the boat. 
• Aggressive: Aggressive communicators are the opposite of passive communicators, and often express their emotions freely without any consideration for others. They can be intimidating or abusive in their interactions with others. 
• Passive-aggressive: Passive-aggressive communicators strive to appear aloof, even when they are actually upset or annoyed. It is subtly evident that they are angry, but because they tend to avoid confrontation, it can be unclear what they are truly thinking. 
• Assertive: Assertive communicators are considerate and express themselves in a clear and direct manner. They are respectful in their interactions with others. “We know that there are a wide variety of communication styles, which can often result in misunderstandings,” Zangerl says. “This requires us to be aware of our own communication style and to carefully observe both the verbal and nonverbal of others. The ability to recognize our own style and be adaptable is so important in creating a sound foundation for mutual understanding.” 

3. Persuasion The ability to persuade others is very useful in the workplace, and employers value employees who demonstrate proficient persuasive skills because it can lead to increased productivity. The skill involves convincing others to complete a desired action or behave in a specific way, typically to achieve an end goal. 

“Communication is all about influencing the attitudes and behaviors of our audiences, both in the workplace and outside, with customers and other external stakeholders,” Zangerl says. “Translating the principles of persuasion into our messages increases the odds of achieving impact.” 

Communicators with strong persuasion skills can “read“the room and have a keen awareness of their audience. They are also friendly and charismatic and can establish a rapport with whoever they are trying to persuade. Persuasive communicators make their offers or ideas tempting by presenting them in such a way that people believe they benefit from whatever it is that the persuader is convincing them to do. 

Other persuasive skills include countering any objections and making modifications to their proposals, if necessary. If they can’t convince others completely, they will negotiate and try to reach common ground. They are able to do this by listening and catering to people’s interests...

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