Having good communication skills is important. Communication skills, tops the list of fundamental skills needed to succeed in any area. Communication is becoming more casual, because of rise in social media networking and texting even in situations where formal ways of communication is required. One of the traits in the greatest leaders is the ability to communicate effectively, which tells the importance of communication skills. So there is a great need to improve the communication skills to succeed in any field.  Fortunately, there are some tricks one can use to improve your communication skills so one comes across as more confident and friendly.

1. LISTENING IS MUST: Listen to what the other person is saying. People love to be heard. Before responding listen carefully and in case of any misunderstanding try clarifying it by asking the questions you having doubt in. always have one conversation at a time i.e. if you are speaking to someone on the phone, do not respond to an email, or send a text at the same time. The other person will know that one doesn’t have your undivided attention.
2. LISTENER MATTERS: Using informal language while talking to friends is okay. But the same informal language cannot be used while talking, emailing or texting to boss. Effective communicators target their message based on who they are speaking to, so try to keep the other person in mind, when you are trying to get your message across.
3. BODY LANGUAGE: Body language matters while face to face meetings and during video conferencing. One should keep an eye contact so that other person knows that you are paying attention, one should never cross their arms while talking it gives a bad impression.
4. BE BRIEF AND SPECIFIC: While having a written and verbal communication one must try to be brief in its communication yet specific too that you provide enough information for the other person to understand what you are trying to say. And if you are responding to an email, make sure that you read the entire email before giving your response.
5. THINK BEFORE SPEAKING: One should always think before speaking anything and not saying the first thing that comes in the mind. Think and pay attention on what you going to speak and how it should be said or communicated. By this one can avoid embarrassments.
6. PENDOWN THINGS: Always relying on the memory is also not a good option. When you are in a meeting try writing down the important points or the points who want to discuss later can be helpful.
7. HAVE A POSITIVE ATTTITUDE: While having a conversation always smile and talk and show the positive attitude, with this the other person also responds positively.
8. GOOD PRONUNCIATION: People will judge your competency through your vocabulary. If you aren’t sure of how to say a word, don’t use it. Improve your vocabulary by reading new words in daily routine.
9. BE SLOW AND STEADY: Do not hurry while having a conversation people will perceive you as nervous and unsure of yourself if you talk fast.
10. APPROPRIATE VOLUME: Use a volume that is appropriate for the setting. Speak more softly when you are alone and close. Speak louder when you are speaking to larger groups or across larger spaces.

Communicating clearly is one of the most effective skills, therefore following a few of the tips outlined above, will enable you to improve  your communication skills.