How To Communicate With People

Communicating is easy for some people. They just seem to have a natural flair for conversation. They listen well and have a strong sense of confidence, or even a charisma, that endears them to others. 

But how do the rest of us learn how to communicate with others? 

Let's start by exploring seven easy-to-follow steps.

Confidence

Good people skills start with confidence. When you have confidence, it shows. It attracts others to you like a magnet, because on some level, your self-confident attitude shows that you’re worth other people’s time and effort to get to know. 

The first rule of effective communication is looking a person directly in the eyes. People who lack confidence tend to avoid eye contact. And avoiding eye contact shows disinterest – or in a worst-case scenario, dishonesty. 

When two people make eye contact, effective communication is possible. It also lends credibility to what you say.

Show Interest 

Showing interest in them helps the other person feel more at ease and boosts his or her confidence. It also creates a situation where the other person feels obligated to reciprocate. Talking about themselves for a while tends to make people want to return the favor by asking you a question and then listening as you speak. But remember to keep your end of the conversation short if you want it to continue.

Listen Twice, Speak Once 

Stay focused, absorb the information given, and find a way to follow up with a question relevant to the subject the other person is discussing. After all, they’re offering you information, so it’s rude not to show an interest in it by failing to ask a follow-up question – even if it’s as simple as, “So how did you feel when that happened?”

Take an active interest in what this person is interested in. If it's a subject you know nothing about, use that to your advantage – to find out more about the subject. 

Admit it’s not a familiar topic. Would she mind telling you more about it? People love to share what they know and nothing increases confidence more than sharing a subject close to your heart.

Take a Risk 

True self-worth is synonymous with confidence. That means that a person doesn’t alter their feelings of self-worth in the face of other people’s reactions. Still, some people are afraid to take a chance because they fear rejection, and rejection can make some people feel inferior. 

In reality, rejection does not change one's self-worth. You are still the same person, as valuable and important as you were before you entered the conversation.