Strategies in Communication: Your Guide to Better Connections

In today’s world, communication skills are essential. Whether you're talking on the phone or
meeting someone face to face, these strategies can help you better connect with others.

Effective communication is foundational to healthy working and personal relationships. People

communicate in various ways, and understanding how and when to use each type of
communication can benefit your ability to communicate effectively.

In addition to strengthening your communication skills, you can also find better connections in
your personal and professional life by learning strategies to address common communication
barriers that may involve cultural or linguistic differences.

In this article, you'll learn strategies for more effective communication and explore different
communication styles.

Importance of effective strategies in communication

Good communication helps prevent conflicts that may arise in the ambiguity of
miscommunication. Effective communication skills are foundational to any good personal or
professional relationship. Learning successful strategies in communication can impact your ability
to motivate others, have more engaging conversations, share information, and practice more
efficient problem-solving.

Effective organizational communication strategies can help employees and coworkers understand
what is expected of them, meet goals, and boost motivation. Communication skills are essential if
you're in a leadership position or manage a team where you must delegate responsibilities while
maintaining a respectful relationship.

7 effective strategies in communication

Building your communication skills takes practice, but it is entirely possible and worth it. Find your
weaknesses and consider focusing on one or two strategies at a time. To improve communication
skills, notice your current communication style. With time and effort, you’ll convey better ideas,
thoughts, actions, and opinions in your personal and professional life. Use the following strategies
to get started.

1. Convey important points clearly and concisely.

It may be tempting to insert additional information, include popular phrases to relate to the
listener, or fall back on filler words that lack true meaning. However, this could be perceived as
clutter when you want others to understand your message fully. Many people read or listen to
tons of communications all day, so it's important to choose your words wisely and organize your
thoughts in a way that's easy to follow.

Use these tips to improve the clarity and conciseness of your communication:

 Use action verbs when possible.

 Offer tangible and concrete terms instead of ambiguous ones. For example, instead of,
“Let’s touch base sometime later in the week,” say, “Would Thursday at 3 p.m. work to
check in on this project?"

 Leave out filler words and clichés that lack meaning.

 End with a clear call to action if the communication requires the listener to do something.

 In written communication, use bullet points and avoid long streams of text.

 Consider using visual aids to support your points.

2. Use multiple modes of communication.

We often communicate to others using a wide range of different communication styles without
even noticing it. In an email to a coworker, you may include a screenshot of a document—a visual
and written method of communication. When you speak to someone face-to-face, meanwhile, you
likely use nonverbal communication with your body language and verbal communication as you’re
speaking.

Intentionally using multiple modes of communication can add clarity to what you’re trying to
convey. Match the modes of communication you choose to the type of communication and
listener. Consider the best way to communicate based on the end goal and needs of the listener,
and prepare to use multiple modes of communication if sharing with a group.

3. Be mindful of your tone.

The way in which you say something – and the medium through which you do it – affects how your
communication is received by others. As a result, the tone of your voice or your written
communication should appropriately match what you’re trying to convey.

Think about how the interaction would be received if you were on the receiving end. If you’re
communicating a policy change to a group of employees, think about their pain points, any
questions they may have, and their needs. In your communication, build in that information with a
tone of understanding and openness so that employees who may be anxious about such changes
are calmed.
When emotions get involved, it may be hard to maintain the tone you intend. Take time to think
through what you’ll say and how you’ll say it to maintain better control of your emotions.

4. Maintain awareness of your body language and nonverbal cues.

Similar to tone, it’s vital that you are aware of what your body language and gestures convey to
listeners. It may be challenging to control certain nonverbal cues, especially if you struggle with
emotions tied to the conversation. Practice being aware of your body and facial expressions in
your daily communication to start understanding where you can improve. Ask for feedback if
appropriate.

Practice these ways to use body language to improve your communication skills:

 Uncross your arms to maintain a more “open” position.

 Speak at a steady pace and avoid talking and moving quickly or erratically.

 Match your eye level with the listener—if they are sitting down, sit with them.

 Maintain eye contact.

 Shift your posture and gestures to match that of the listener if needed.

 Stand facing the person you’re speaking with.

5. Know your audience.

To know your audience is to understand their thoughts and feelings—it involves perspective and
will take time and thoughtfulness. Modulate your tone, gestures, and body language to help your
audience perceive your motives and intentions. Before you send an email, approach a coworker,
or walk into a meeting, take the time to understand the audience and consider how they may feel
or react to what you’re about to communicate to them.

6. Focus on what others say and acknowledge it.

When you can focus on what you are saying and what others say in response, you can tailor your
communication style and content appropriately. Referred to as active listening, this technique
shows you are listening through nonverbal communication.

You may be more effective in your communication when you can acknowledge the perception of
others and respond appropriately to their feedback, questions, or suggestions. Be open and listen,
avoiding defensiveness and interrupting. If you don’t know how to respond, simply tell the other
person that you'll get back to them once you've given it greater consideration. There is no harm in
asking for time to provide a thoughtful response.

7. Request and provide feedback.

Asking for feedback can be helpful if you’re struggling with effective communication. It can also
help you build useful communication strategies in a leadership role.

Ask a boss or coworker to provide constructive feedback, or record yourself and watch for any
nonverbal communication that could negatively affect your ability to transmit your message
successfully. Manage your emotions and pride to accept and implement constructive criticism.
When you ask for feedback, invite the listener to point out things you might be struggling with,
thank them, and be mindful of their time.

Overcoming potential barriers to effective communication

Communication barriers can be anything that negatively impacts your ability to communicate
appropriately with others. From the tools you use to communicate to your methods of
communication, barriers may be physical, emotional, cultural, or linguistic. Fortunately, there are
ways to address these barriers and improve your ability to communicate in varying scenarios.

Emotions

Sometimes, emotions can cloud your ability to communicate effectively and actively listen.
Emotions like anger or disappointment can affect your ability to communicate because your brain
struggles to process what is being said, especially if you're experiencing stress or anxiety at that
time.

To mitigate the impact of your emotions, wait until you’ve managed them before choosing the
best method and environment to speak with a person or group of people. You can also involve a
mediator or neutral third party.

Perception

How others perceive you and the motives behind your words and actions can help or hinder your
communication ability. To avoid negative perception, be sure your intention is clearly stated and
understood, have open body language, and make time for follow-up questions.

Culture

Social differences among cultures can create misunderstandings that impede effective
communication.

It’s important, particularly in the workplace, to ask questions about communication standards,
norms, and preferences if you suspect a cultural-based communication barrier. Companies can be
sensitive and respectful to other cultures by communicating the desire to meet the
communication needs of all employees.

Language

Language barriers don’t just refer to speaking different languages entirely, but also regional and
dialectal differences between people and how they each understand the same language. For
example, there may be two ways to say the same word, associations tied to certain words or
phrases, or colloquialisms in one part of the United States that don’t exist in other regions, among
other things.

To overcome language barriers, avoid jargon, clichés, phrases, or slang that may not translate well
without further explanation. In other words, know your audience. Also, some technical terms may
be appropriate if you're writing an email to a coworker or supervisor, but not when speaking at a
conference for a group of students.
Interpersonal

Interpersonal barriers refer to the relationship between you and the person or people with whom
you’re communicating. Interpersonal barriers can be a lack of trust, engagement, or a difference of
opinion. You can more clearly communicate in these instances if you can be transparent, open to
criticism, and keep strong emotions at bay. Understand that when interpersonal barriers are
present, you may need to compromise, offer solutions, and even step away and take time to
consider the situation.

4 types of communication

The four main types of communication are verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual. Any time you
communicate with someone, you use at least one of these types of communication, but you often
rely on several types at once.

For example, consider when you walk into a colleague’s office to discuss a project. You're
communicating with the words you say but also your tone of voice, body language, and
expressions. You may also bring a visual aid like a copy of the project details or send a follow-up
email after you chat with them. All of these means of communication help get your point across.

To improve your strategies in communication, focus on each type of communication and consider
ways you can build upon your skills in that area. If you have a strength in one area, assess what
makes you most effective as you build upon other types of communication. One important note:
The type of communication you choose should be appropriate for the situation.

1. Verbal communication

Verbal communication is the actual words you speak and how you say them.

This can mean your pitch, volume, cadence, and more. Improve your verbal communication skills
by being clear and concise, and avoid unnecessary filler words, such as “um,” “yeah,” “like,” and
“you know.” Read the other person or people you’re communicating with using good active
listening skills. Be confident in your speech and know when to listen and when to talk.

Read more: 10 Tips to Improve Public Speaking Skills

2. Nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication refers to the nuisances that you may not even be aware of when
speaking with someone or a group of people.

Your gestures, body language, and facial expressions are all means of nonverbal communication.
Ironically, watching others is one of the best ways to improve nonverbal communication. Do they
make eye contact? Are their arms crossed? Are they talking with their hands a lot? Being aware of
others' nonverbal communication can help create awareness of your own, and you may be able to
control your body language better when communicating.

3. Visual communication

Visual communication is considered anything you use to convey information that the eyes can see.
This can be a visual aid like a presentation, document, image, infographic, and so on.
Visual communication can supplement what you say and give listeners a tangible example. For
instance, if you’re writing a group email to your team about the timeline of a project instead of
writing it all out, create a bar graph to show improvement and attach it to the email. This would be
a visual way to communicate the needs of the project.

4. Written communication

Written communication encompasses anything written or typed—from text messages to memos

and reports to emails. To improve your written communication, use templates for reference and
keep samples of good writing pieces you’ve done in the past. Remember, you can’t always read
the tone of written communication, so rely on punctuation and simplicity, and avoid jokes or
sarcasm to prevent miscommunication.