How to Communicate More Effectively (Article 1)

The key to effective communication lies in making sure your messages are clear, concise, and impactful.

How do you communicate effectively when you’re speaking in person? How do you communicate effectively over email? How do you communicate effectively in writing?

Here’s a simple, quick 7 step process that will help you communicate more effectively with anyone, anytime.

STEP 1: Make a list of key words or phrases to be used throughout the conversation

Before the conversation even begins, think about what you want to say. Do you want to tell a story? Make an argument? Ask a question? This step helps you get started right from the beginning, so you won’t end up wasting time trying to find the right word.

You can use your smartphone or notebook to make a list of key words or phrases. For example, if you’re telling a story, you might have something like “The kids were running through the park” or “It was cold outside”.

This list can include every sentence in your conversation. It’s a great way to get started and ensure that you don’t forget to talk about one of the most important parts of the conversation – your audience.

STEP 2: Practice the first half of your message until it feels natural

Practice the first half of your message, without any interruptions. The goal here is to make sure that your message is clear and concise. If you’ve practiced this process enough, your message will come out naturally.

If you haven’t been practicing for too long, try practicing with someone who can give you constructive feedback. This person can tell you if you’re starting to sound too formal or too casual.

Once you feel comfortable with your message, practice the second half of your message without interruptions. This time, practice saying the exact opposite of what you said in the first half.

Your brain will learn to process the two different messages at the same time, making the transition between the two messages seamless.

STEP 3: Start speaking and stop thinking

Start talking as soon as you feel comfortable. You’ll find that you start to talk faster than you realize, and you’ll be able to say more than you thought possible.

You’ll also be able to keep your audience engaged and attentive. When your message is too long, they’ll start to lose interest. Start speaking and stop thinking!

STEP 4: Repeat your message until it becomes natural

As you practice your message, you’ll notice that it starts to sound natural. It’s time to repeat your message until it feels like it’s just part of the conversation. This repetition will help you ensure that your message is clear and concise.

STEP 5: Practice listening without interrupting

The next step is to practice listening without interrupting. This means that you should try to hear your audience without talking. The goal here is to ensure that you’re understanding your audience correctly.

If you’re talking too much, they may feel like they have to interrupt you or tell you something. If you’re not talking enough, they’ll get bored or frustrated.

Practice listening without interrupting until it feels natural.

STEP 6: Keep your messages short and sweet

Keep your messages short and sweet. You don’t want to talk for too long. Your audience can only handle so much information at once. The goal here is to make sure that your message has enough information but not too much.

If you talk too much, they’ll start to lose interest. On the other hand, if you talk too little, they’ll think you’re not interested in what they have to say.

STEP 7: Don’t worry about grammar and punctuation

Don’t worry about grammar and punctuation. This is a good time to use your smartphone or notebook. When you’re practicing your message, you may notice that you misspell a word or forget to use a comma.

When this happens, take a step back and focus on making your message clear. You’ll find that your messages will start to sound more natural when you don’t worry about grammar and punctuation.

Thanks for reading!