The more people feel heard and connected with, the easier they are to influence, work with, work for, and get additional discretionary effort from. To better “connect” with people, remember these three great Communication Skills Training tips:
- SHOW SINCERE INTEREST: This means being curious and putting genuine effort into finding something that gets your attention. If it is not apparent, ask good open-ended questions until your interest in piqued. People will notice and feel a difference in talking with you. As always, maintain eye contact and pay attention to the non-verbal clues that account for up to two-thirds of all communication between people.
- BE ON THEIR SIDE: People want to feel empathy. Rarely are co-workers sharing an idea with you so that you can pick them apart, prove them wrong, or talk about yourself. Show empathy. Be an ally. Ask how you can help. Think about what it would be like to be in their shoes. Look for the bright spots. If people want constructive feedback they will typically ask you for it.
- COMMUNICATE UNDERSTANDING: Make sure that they perceive that you “get it.” This does not mean parroting back their words as is mistakenly taught by many so-called communication experts. It refers to listening for the “music” and getting a deep understanding of the underlying feelings, emotions, and intentions regarding what the speaker is truly saying.
Next time you have an important conversation with an important person; see if you can connect at a deeper level to get better results.
