You're struggling to communicate with your team. How can you improve your skills?

3 Speak clearly and confidently

Speaking is not only about what you say, but also how you say it. To communicate your message effectively, you need to speak clearly and confidently, using simple and precise language, appropriate tone and volume, and positive and respectful words. You also need to structure your speech logically, using transitions, examples, and summaries, and tailor your content to your audience, purpose, and context. By speaking clearly and confidently, you can convey your ideas, opinions, and feedback persuasively, influence and inspire others, and demonstrate your competence and credibility.

4 Use nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication is the use of gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, posture, and other physical cues to convey meaning and emotion. Nonverbal communication can complement, reinforce, or contradict your verbal communication, and can affect how others perceive and respond to you. To use nonverbal communication effectively, you need to be aware of your own and others' signals, and align them with your words and intentions. You also need to respect the cultural and personal differences in nonverbal communication, and avoid sending mixed or inappropriate messages.

5 Seek and give constructive feedback

Feedback is an essential part of communication, as it helps you and others learn, improve, and grow. However, feedback can also be difficult to give and receive, especially if it is negative or critical. To seek and give constructive feedback, you need to be open-minded, respectful, and specific. You also need to focus on the behavior, not the person, use the sandwich method (positive-negative-positive), and offer suggestions and solutions. By seeking and giving constructive feedback, you can enhance your performance, skills, and relationships, and foster a culture of learning and improvement.

6 Practice and improve

Communication is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice and feedback. You can practice your communication skills by taking courses, reading books, watching videos, or joining clubs or groups that focus on communication. You can also seek feedback from your colleagues, managers, mentors, or coaches, and use it to identify your strengths and areas for improvement. By practicing and improving your communication skills, you can boost your confidence, competence, and professionalism, and become a more effective and valued team member.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?