How to Talk to People with Confidence – 13 Tips to Improve Communication Skills
A significant percentage of success in various life spheres boils down to the ability to influence others into your school of thought: from the workplace to social circles and even at home. It is safe to assume, therefore, that without confidence, on the path to success, you will ultimately have to contend with a glass ceiling. Here are 13 tips on how you can improve confidence and communicate more effectively.
Dress well
As a child, if your parents forced you to wear hand-me-downs, or clothes that were vastly divergent to what was considered cool, then, you understand the impact dressing has on confidence. In adulthood, if by a stroke of bad luck you attend a black and white event with inappropriate clothing, the probability is that you will not communicate as effectively as you would have, had you been dressed suitably. The takeaway here is apparent, dress appropriately and you will feel more confident and communicate better.
Posture
Slouching, fidgeting, shifty eyes, drumming surfaces all negatively impact your communication prowess. They convey a lack of confidence in whatever you are saying, and if you do not seem to believe what you are saying, neither will others. Maintain healthy eye contact, always sit upright, and hold your head up high.
Act confident
If you smile for long enough, even if you did not want to smile in the first place, you will eventually have a genuine smile on your face. In the same way, you do not have to be confident to act confident. Copy the traits of confident people, and your confidence will build up.
Practice self-affirmation
This is a hack preached by self-help gurus, and many are the proponents that second its efficacy. Since you desire confidence, it would, therefore, not hurt to try. Keep on telling yourself that you are confident while acting confident. Soon enough, you will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
Build your lexicon
It is hard to be confident in a situation if you do not have the enabling content. In light of this, build your language. Furthermore, expose yourself to various anecdotes that you can share and move people with to cement a particular view. Confident, iconic communicators always seem well prepared, ahistorical and they are fond of anecdotes.
Avoid negative thoughts
It is easy to entertain self-defeating ideas that your communication bait may fail to hook your audience, or someone you like may find you uninteresting, and so on. In reality, such thoughts deliver killer hits to your confidence. So, stop shooting yourself in the foot and replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts.
Be natural
In striving to be an excellent communicator, there is the risk that you may come across as too rehearsed to the point of seeming unnatural which is off-putting. You may achieve confidence in this manner, but the efficacy of your communication will suffer. Thus, strive to inject a bit of personality into the way to speak. It could be through intonation, choice of words, jokes, etc.
Read extensively
The more exposed you are, the better you will be prepared for any social situation that presents itself such as impromptu speeches. Consequently, the more confident you will be. Read material on building confidence, navigating social situations, making good impressions, and such. Also, keep abreast with current affairs.
Practice
Communication is a skill, and as per the adage, skills are honed through practice. Take a proactive stance when it comes to communication and start applying and tweaking your communication capabilities in one-on-one scenarios. Keep in mind that communication is not just about being the one speaking, but also about listening. As you polish your skill, your confidence relating to interpersonal interactions will increase.
Improve your self-image
You project what you think of yourself. If you think of yourself as a failure, a poor communicator, and a loser, you cement your position in these pitiful states. Thus, work on improving your self-image. Come up with the person that you would like to be and meditate on that image until it takes root. Whenever you find yourself reverting to old, defeating though habits, replace them with this new self-image. Over time, you will morph into the confident person you aspire to be.
Know your boundaries
If you do not know how to swim, jumping into the deep end will only bring you trouble. The same goes for many things in life. When something is within your comfort zone, you will naturally be confident. As a result, practice introspection to determine your boundaries. From there, work on expanding your horizons.
Be nice
Help others and occasionally sacrifice yourself for others. As you do, others will see you as a valuable and useful person which will help you view yourself in a better light. Ultimately, your self-image will change into one of confidence in the value you actualize, and your communication will echo the same.
Smile and speak slowly
Smiling exhudes confidence makes you immediately likable. Additionally, speak slowly, and you will have more time to choose your words which will make you a more effective communicator. Incidentally, most orators are slow speakers. Speaking slowly also promotes the notion that you are in control.
Crossing over into confidence and elite communication is a journey, and as with all journeys, the most crucial thing is taking the first step. Start by setting a small target such as reducing self-defeating thoughts. As you endeavor to make inroads, soon, you will build momentum that will empower you to get to your ultimate destination.