Whether it’s in life or business, communication is everything.
At some point or another, you’ll deal with big egos, hot-headed figures and people lacking the self-confidence to speak up.
Not knowing how to communicate with different types of people can cause problems both at work and in your personal life.
It all actually boils down to communicating with confidence. Not to worry. We've got you covered with 13 ways to communicate with confidence in the workplace.
13 Ways to Communicate with Confidence
- Communicate Clearly
- Use Specific Language
- Provoke Questioning
- Use Emotional Intelligence
- Respond to Conflict
- Show Some Assertiveness
- Show Empathy
- Practice Self-Awareness
- Maintain a Positive Attitude
- Body Language and Mannerisms
- Be Approachable
- Maintain Eye Contact
- Listen - Don't Just Talk
1. Communicate Clearly
A lot of the time, it’s thought that being confident depends on what you say or the words you use. But, it actually depends on what the other person hears which is why communicating clearly is vital.
Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Maintain eye contact and smile while you’re speaking.
- Speak at a steady pace so the other person understands what you’re saying.
- Take a few risks like showing some humour. Like confidence, it’s infectious so spread it as much as you can. This can help conversations go more smoothly.
- Don’t use ‘maybe’ words like ‘just’, ‘perhaps’ or ‘like’ as it can undersell what you’re trying to say.
2. Use Specific Language
This is where you need to know your audience before communicating with them. The terms and phrases you use might not be in their vocabulary which means things can often be lost in translation. There might also be a language barrier which will change how you speak and the words you use.
Also, use language that’s really clear so the conversation doesn’t end and there’s absolutely no ambiguity surrounding what you said. Know your audience, communicate how they do and make everything clear.
Learn how to improve communication within a team.
3. Provoke Questioning
Not everyone likes to be talked to as if they’re receiving a lecture. In a business setting especially, it can be a good idea to provoke questioning and gain input from the person you’re talking to. Whether it’s challenging back and forth or provoking a response, this type of dialogue can create the most effective conversations.
Try to avoid speaking down to anyone. Be cooperative and open-minded so that you inspire dialogue that builds solutions. The last thing you want is a quiet person becoming internally combative because you’ve communicated with them in the wrong way. Where possible, get their thoughts and views so they feel valued.
4. Use Emotional Intelligence
When you combine communication skills with emotional intelligence, it enables you to be heard more accurately, inspire and motivate others as well as improve relationships with co-workers. It’s a useful skill to have, especially in an evolving workplace.
Here’s how to improve your emotional intelligence and communicate with more confidence.
5. Respond to Conflict
It’s easy to fall into a habit of reacting to conflict as emotional outbursts and feelings of anger are common. As an emotionally intelligent person, you’ll know how to stay calm during stressful situations which means you won’t make any impulsive decisions.
6. Show Some Assertiveness
Assertive communication is a good way to earn some respect. There’s obviously a fine balance between being too aggressive or being a pushover, but emotionally intelligent people know how to communicate their thoughts directly without disrespecting anyone.
7. Show Empathy
If you can empathise with others, it shows you have a lot of emotional strength. If you improve this, it opens the door for mutual respect with co-workers and helps you understand those who have a different opinion from yours.
8. Practice Self-Awareness
You need to be self-aware and intuitive, or at least work on it. Show that you’re aware of your own emotions and how they can affect people around you. This trait is crucial when it comes to emotional intelligence and communicating confidently as it allows you to pick up on the emotions and body language of others.
Read our 8 tips on overcoming speaking anxiety in meetings and presentations.
9. Maintain a Positive Attitude
You can’t underestimate the power of a positive attitude. A negative attitude can easily infect others around you, whereas emotionally intelligent people have an awareness of the moods of those around them. For example, working on this skill means you can read and understand body language better to know when to approach someone or how to best talk to them.
10. Body Language and Mannerisms
Roughly 60% of all human communication is nonverbal and 30% is your tone of voice. So that means that 90% of what you’re saying ain’t coming out of your mouth.
These are powerful statistics to remember. Body language is not something to be forgotten when aiming to communicate with confidence - it can make or break the way you communicate!
Discover 5 ways emotional intelligence can help you become a more successful leader.
11. Be Approachable
Utilise your social skills with the people you’re talking to so they want to communicate with you. If you always look demotivated, slouched and grumpy then it gives off the vibe that you don’t want anyone speaking to you.
Smile, show a genuine interest in a conversation and watch out for your tone. How you act and appear will reflect in the way you talk to someone and the way they respond.
12. Maintain Eye Contact
When you keep eye contact with the person you talk to, it indicates that you’re genuinely interested, focused and paying attention. It also shows respect and understanding but most of all, it shows confidence.
In her book ‘The Body Language Advantage’, expert Lillian Glass stressed the importance of eye contact. She wrote: “When eye contact is maintained, it signifies the power over a situation and establishes dominance.”
13. Listen - Don’t Just Talk
Although the aim is to communicate your message, don’t assume that the other person might not have something to say or that their input isn’t valuable. A conversation is a two-way street, so those around you also need to have moments to speak their mind and provide their thoughts.
Giving them the platform to do that not only makes you more approachable but will improve your confidence in future conversations as well.
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Learn More Tactics for Effective Everyday Communication
Whether you want the ability to present without fear or communicate with more confidence, our free Communication Skills Handbook features tactics and advice on a variety of verbal communication challenges.
To get your hands on a copy, click on the button below.
