The key to any good relationship is effective communication. Without it, getting on the same wavelength as others becomes a challenge – especially in a professional setting.
Today, virtual meetings play a big role in how we interact with one another. As a result, they can help us improve communication skills by showing us how to:
Listen More Intently to Others
Since you are not in the same room as those on your video call, there is a lot of opportunity to be distracted by your surroundings. In the business world, this could lead to missing assignment instructions, or writing down the wrong deadline.
As such, you need to employ an active listening strategy and really zone in on everything each participant is conveying. In some instances, it may be tough to clarify certain things after a virtual meeting concludes, so it’s best to pay very close attention at all times.
Speak Clearly and with a Purpose
One of the most important communication skills you can master while on a video chat is learning how to not waste a single word when presenting.
Not everyone enjoys meetings and these people tend to tune out easily. To shift the behaviour of these individuals, learn to speak clearly, confidently, intelligently, and with a purpose. Show people you are an authority on what you are speaking about.
Once you can do this, you will be amazed by how impactful effective communication in the workplace can be.
Create Presentations that are Focused and Precise
Let’s say you’ve been asked to lead a presentation on ‘What Good Communication Skills Can Bring to Your Business.’ With such a topic, you certainly have to practice what you preach.
To create an effective presentation for your virtual event, you will need to put something together that’s as engaging as it is informative. This will teach you how to properly blend your personality and creative skills, with your ability to do research and deliver relative, factual information.
Achieving these objectives on any video call you participate in will improve your confidence, as well as how those you work with embrace your vision.
Ask Better Questions and Give Better Answers
Some of us don’t feel comfortable asking questions in front of video chat participants. It can definitely take time for a person to read the weekly meeting room and understand how to best function within it.
During this period, however, you can learn how to ask better questions and subsequently give better answers. By observing how others ask and answer in a meeting, you will get an idea how to go about both the right way.
As this skill set becomes part of your repertoire, you will see exponential growth in your communication skills and ability to give and receive better information.
Understand and Relate with Your Audience
Even if you know how to communicate, a virtual meeting space can change over time. People enter and exit a company, while most clients need to have new relationships built with them from the ground up.
These circumstances require you to adjust your communication skills to find a way to understand and relate to your meeting counterparts.
Try to loosely analyze someone’s personality traits, measure their sense of humour, or look for other social cues that’ll help you form a connection. Because as soon as one is established, you’ll be amazed by how well future video conferencing sessions will go with this person.
