I have been blessed over the past nineteen months to be enrolled in a master’s program that doesn’t just challenge me intellectually, it has required me to grow as a person and a coach as well.
I was very intentional when I set out looking for programs. It would have been easy for me to choose a Sports Psychology program and call it good. I wanted to challenge myself a bit more. I didn’t want to take the traditional route. I wanted something that was going to set me apart from the crowd.
A big part of this growth I have experienced has been directly linked to the way I communicate and improving my overall communication skills. In this week’s blog I want to share with you some of the things that I have learned while studying for my masters and how they have impacted my communication.
MASTER YOUR NON VERBALS
If you have ever had a face to face conversation you already know this has been the hardest area for me to personally manage. I am an animated, expressive person. This includes my facial expressions, my hand gestures, and the fluctuations of my voice.
Entering into a professional coaching program I wanted to understand more clearly how to better control my own non verbal’s but also how to interpret what others were unconsciously communicating with theirs.
There have been many studies that have suggested that up to 55% of how someone perceives you has to do not with what you say, but with your nonverbal communication. For this reason, I feel it is the most important area of communication to understand and work to improve.
Thankfully you can start working on this and making improvements right away. Take notice of your posture. Are you sitting up straight or are you slouching? Making yourself small communicates that you are not secure. Instead sit with your shoulders back, head high, and feet firmly on the floor. Taking up space communicates that you deserve to be there.
LISTEN MORE, TALK LESS
The second thing you can do to improve your communication starting now is to talk less and listen more. Sometimes we can be in a hurry to share and forget to truly listen to what the other person is saying. This leaves them feeling as though we aren’t really paying attention.
Instead, try to actively listen to what the person is talking about. Ask questions that pertain to the subject. Be curious. You might surprise yourself and learn something you otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to discover.
Your turn to talk about the “thing” you want to discuss will come. Practice some patience and you may end up having a much more rewarding conversation.
People want to talk to and be around those they feel listen to them. They don’t want to be around people who only talk about themselves. Listen more, talk less.
NEXT STEPS
There is so much room to improve communication in both personal and professional settings. Over the past several months I have really enjoyed how my communication skills have improved and the benefits from this.
If you need help working on your personal or professional communication skills, get in touch. I offer a complimentary initial session to all prospective clients. Click here to schedule yours today!