Effective communication is one of the most important skills there is and it is fundamental to a lot of aspects of life. Whether you want to land one of the many jobs in Yangon or you simply aim to properly convey an idea at work, developing strong communication skills is important. If you are having difficulty communicating, here are some tips on how you can improve in order to convey a message effectively:

Learn to Listen

Listening is not just about hearing; it’s also about you absorbing the speaker’s words and understanding their meaning, as well as taking note of the non-verbal messages that are being conveyed. Try to avoid thinking of how to reply while he’s still talking and just focus on the message. That way, you will be able to receive the message better and come up with a more appropriate response. Also, watch out for your body language. You may say you are open to discussion but your arms are folded over your chest or you are looking at your phone’s screen instead of the person you are speaking with. Remember that our nonverbal cues reveal more than we think –actions like crossed arms or lack of eye contact can easily convey that you are not interested in talking.

Get Rid of Unnecessary Conversation Fillers

Ever find yourself saying ‘uhm’ and ‘uh’ a lot? These conversation fillers do little to improve your speech so avoid saying them as much as possible. Keep track of how often you say the aforementioned words, as well as other fillers so you can prevent yourself from using them again in future conversations. Organize your ideas and divide it into chunks by taking brief pauses so you’ll have an easier flow of talking.

Show Interest

When talking to someone, show that you are interested in stirring up questions about things they’re most likely interested in. When your partner responds, engage in his answer. Remember, it is more important to be interested than being the interesting one. Avoid asking clichéd questions like “what do you think about the weather?” because it might convey a lack of interest. You should try repeating the last few words of the speaker as well – this will show that you really are listening and are interested in the conversation.

Adjust Based on Your Audience

Are you going to speak to a bunch of teenagers or to your co-workers? Tailor your message based on your audience; for sure you don’t talk to your boss the same way you do to your significant other or parents, right? Keep the other person’s perspective in mind when you’re trying to get your message across. Communication is a two-way street so be empathetic of your listeners. Developing empathy helps you understand even the unspoken parts of the message and respond appropriately.

No one is a perfect communicator. However, all throughout our lives, we learn and pick up habits that may or may not help us become effective communicators. Remember, good communication skills are important because they are helpful in deepening connections with other people.