Communication Masterclass:

Demonstrating strong communication skills is about being able to convey information to others in a simple and unambiguous way. ... Good communication is about understanding instructions, acquiring new skills, making requests, asking questions and relaying information with ease

While it takes time and practice, communication and interpersonal skills are certainly able to be both increased and refined. There are four main types of communication we use on a daily basis: Verbal, nonverbal, written and visual

Communication is the lifeblood of any organisation. Whether it’s issuing simple instructions at work, sorting out a tricky situation with a subordinate, lifting flagging morale, working out a better way to meet productivity targets, briefing your team on customer feedback after a product launch, or as CEO, getting your employees to buy into your company’s vision – communication is the pivot of any business venture, from start-up to global corporation.

Speaking or verbal communication is perhaps the most frequently used way to get a message across at the workplace, and it includes meetings, presentations, workshops, in-person interviews, and telephonic and video conferencing.

This is another powerful business communication skill, which embraces the gamut from email, internal business memos, formal letters, bulletin boards, posters, flyers, PPTs, etc.

Effective writing requires careful choice of words that send out a message cogently and accurately.

This form of communication is reliable; it can be used to reach multiple individuals all at once and is the best way to convey technical information.

This is tough to master simply because more and more people, especially young people, are spending less and less time reading.

Many limit their ‘reading’ to social networking sites and instant messaging while reading only when absolutely necessary.

Perhaps the most difficult business communication skill to practice, listening implies that you not only hear what someone is saying but also understand the content, decode all the non-verbal signals and filter the message without bias or prejudice.

Effective listening is a winning tool in every manager’s toolkit, for it implies the ability to put oneself in someone else’s shoes, something every employee craves – an empathetic ear.