Communication and Presentation Skills in Business

Communication skills are essential to any career. Clear and effective communication in the workplace can positively affect your interactions with your clients and colleagues. It is easy to forget that communication goes two ways – as important as it is to convey information coherently, it is also just as vital to listen actively. Understanding how to communicate well can bolster team collaboration, encourage creativity, and promote productivity.

Find out how to improve your communication and presentation skills with these six steps:

1. Ask questions

Communication is key to collaborative teamwork. If you are unsure of a project’s goals or key processes, ask! Questions will often give the team a chance to reflect on how well they understand the job and help get everyone on the same page. As a leader, asking questions will encourage your team to share their thoughts and stimulate discussion, which is crucial for achieving results.

2. Listen actively

Miscommunication can often lead to easily avoidable mistakes, so it is vital to listen actively. Ensure that you understand the information relayed, and if not, clarify as soon as possible. Listen to your team’s ideas and take notes, making sure to incorporate them where appropriate later. This will show that you value your team’s ideas and opinions.

3. Be diplomatic

Being tactful shows an understanding of appropriate behaviour in the workplace and a willingness to listen to others and compromise. Navigate stressful situations calmly and logically, doing your best to put your emotions aside.

4. Regularly improve your writing skills

Written communication is just as important as verbal communication. Writing reports, emails, instructions, and reviewing documents is unavoidable in any job or business. Brush up on your grammar regularly for reliable written communication, and use spellcheck and available grammar tools to help you.

5. Get your information right

A key component of good communication is being able deliver presentations well. Presentations enable ideas to be explained clearly, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Good presenters will keep their audience engaged and interested. Before presenting, do your research, and organise your information into key points. Make sure your audience can follow your thoughts easily and anticipate questions they might have.

6. Remember key points

It can be difficult to memorise an entire script for a long presentation, but it also does not reflect well on you if you simply read off a script. Remembering the key points and ideas of your presentation will help you look like you have a good understanding of your presentation material and make your presentation more natural and engaging. Practicing with a colleague beforehand might help to build your confidence and alleviate your anxiety.

References

Indeed Editorial Team. “Essential Business Communication Skills: Definitions and Examples”. Published 23 February 2021, https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/business-communication-skills

Lei Han. “9 Most Important Business Communication Skills”. Be My Career Coach. Accessed 6 April 2022, https://bemycareercoach.com/soft-skills/business-communication-skills.html

Rojas, Nick. “10 Must-Have Communication Skills for Business Success”. Salesforce. Published 9 June 2015, https://www.salesforce.com/ca/blog/2015/06/10-communication-skills-for-business-success.html