Developing Our Communication Skills

The effectiveness of our communication with others has a high impact on our personal and professional lives.

Dialogue is defined as a conversation between two or more people, exchanging their experiences, ideas and opinions.  

We should start any dialogue with the willingness to respect all different points of view. There are many different points of view out there, people who look at a situation in a way that is different from ours or absolutely opposed to ours.


These are some inspiring tips for developing our conversation skills: 

- Be concise.  Don't speak for too long when you share your experiences, values and perspectives. 

- Be clear on your intentions and ideas by using the right words.

- Improve your argument by thinking before you speak.

- Speak with confidence. There is no need to raise your voice. 

- Ask good questions about speaker's assumptions and about what experiences have influenced his or her views. Invite responses with open questions such as "What do you think? ".
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- Accept that the speaker's thoughts are based on his or her previous experiences, values and judgments.

- Listen to meaning conveyed not just through words, but also through tone, context and body language. In order to be an attentive listener, use silence, make pauses and avoid interruptions. 

- Be friendly, and show a sincere interest in what is being said.

- Be authentic, and practice humility.

- Acknowledge all messages and emotions that are shared by others.

Last but not least... a conversation should never be a monologue.