How to master verbal communication? 11 practical tips

Verbal communication has been the great aptitude of the human being, given that practically all the culture and thought of our species is based on it.

Not only is verbal communication the act of speaking, that is, issuing words orally. So is the act of writing, since specific information is also transmitted through writing. However, having negligent verbal skills can significantly impair our ability to convey the message we want our audience to understand.

That is why it is very important to learn how to master verbal communication, something that we will see in the present article, in addition to briefly explaining what exactly this type of communication is and how it differs from non-communication verbal.

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What is verbal communication?

Verbal communication is understood to be the act of transmit information through words, which can be delivered orally or in writing. In other words, and contrary to what many people believe, verbal communication, in addition to being the act of speaking, is to report in writing, using meaningful words and phrases.

Normally, when talking about communication, a very clear distinction is made between the verbal and the non-verbal, as if they were dealing with oil and water. But the truth is that both types of human communications need each other, since it is not It is possible to deliver a message in a fully effective and unambiguous way by relying solely on communication verbal.

When we talk to someone we always look at their facial gestures, hand movements, tone of voice... These aspects characteristic of non-verbal communication can come to indicate if what the person says is in accordance with what is really think. For example, if the person tells us that she is very calm and, nevertheless, she is constantly moving her legs, she is transmitting nervousness to us.

What should be highlighted is that verbal communication It is a very useful tool for the human species that, if not properly mastered, can lead to misunderstandings.. If you do not have good verbal skills, the message you are trying to send will not be well captured by the audience, whether it is made up of listeners or readers. Thus, this audience will not understand the message nor will they know how to ask the right questions.

How to master verbal communication?

There are several strategies that can be put into practice to master verbal communication. Next, we will see a list of all of them with clarifying examples.

1. start off on the right foot

On many occasions, especially when it is a first meeting with another person, how the first minutes of the conversation are spent will profoundly mark the relationship in the future.

First impressions have a very significant impact on the vision one has of others, and the way of speaking is a key aspect. During the first contact you should be friendly and try to use a calm tone.

Regardless of the context in which the conversation is taking place, you should try to talk about more neutral and generic topics, to to give way to those matters in which there may be a greater polarization of opinions.

2. Prepare the topic

In order to master verbal communication, whether oral or written, It is necessary to have a broad domain of the topic that is going to be discussed. It is very important to document yourself before starting a conversation or starting to write a text.

Whether it is an informal conversation with friends or a final presentation, it is very important to prepare the topic that is going to be discussed.

It is not just a matter of showing that you know the subject. If, for example, you are going to discuss a specific issue and try to convince others of your position, the use of data that we know helps to give strength to our opinion.

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3. Choose the appropriate words

To facilitate the understanding of the public, you should try to say or write the most appropriate words both for the level and for the type of listeners or readers to whom the speech is addressed.

For example, when writing a document on psychology, if it is focused on an audience, it is not specialized in the subject, the use of technical terms must be avoided or, in case of mentioning them, describe exactly What are they.

On the contrary, if the same document is addressed to psychologists and related professionals, in that case it does not It will be necessary to describe each term that is used, since it will be understood that the audience to whom they are directed and the known.

By choosing the appropriate words you can capture on the mind of the receiver an image very similar to the one we have imagined ourselves in our mind. In the event that the language is vague or too abstract for the situation being discussed, the meaning of what we are trying to say will be blown away.

Also, the use of words that are too rare makes the conversation or the text in question become somewhat heavy and not very dynamic.

4. Speak clear

You must speak clearly, that is, vocalizing the phonemes appropriately and using a suitable volume for the space in which you are, in case you are speaking orally.

If you speak too softly, the other person will not understand anything, besides that It can interpret that we are not sure what we are talking about or that we are afraid that someone will listen to us., which can be interpreted as if we were telling a secret.

On the other hand, if you speak using too high a volume, it can be interpreted as being angry or that you want to convey some kind of negative feeling regarding the message that is being broadcast.

5. Use a suitable tone

To use a proper tone, you must first be aware of which tone you are using. This may seem difficult, since everyone speaks and reads from their own perspective and assesses the tones of others based on their own. However, once we have managed to identify our tone, it will take some patience and time to work on your improvement.

In the event that a text is being written, a good way to know what the tone embodied in the document is, simply, by reading it aloud before handing it to whoever it is. By reading the words aloud it is possible to find out what the transmitted tone is, and if any modification is necessary.

The words used, by themselves, may be appropriate for the topic that is being talked about and the audience to which they are focused; however, there are certain constructions that can be interpreted as sarcasm, pedantry or excess of formality.

6. Look at the eyes

Although this point would be more related to non-verbal communication, it is important to mention, since serves as a support to effectively communicate what we are trying to say through words.

Looking into the eyes of the person with whom you are speaking helps to create a certain connection, essential for both parties to be aware of what the other is saying.

But, be careful, you have to be careful and not look too closely. This can be interpreted in many ways and none is comfortable for the interlocutor.

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7. Focus on the audience

In the case of speaking orally, you must pay attention to the other and concentrate on what he is saying.

It is possible that, as you speak, questions come to mind to clarify certain points made previously in the conversation, however, an effort should be made to avoid thinking about them while the other person is is talking.

Thinking about what questions will be asked can put us at risk of not paying attention to the person and, coincidentally, she is answering the question that we are going to ask her.

When we do it, the person will tell us that she has already told us and she may feel a little annoyed that we are not paying attention to her.

8. avoid distractions

It may be the case that, while talking to another person, there is background noise. This should be avoided, or try to ignore this stimulus and focus on what the person you are talking to is saying.

If this distractor cannot be controlled, it can be invite the other speaker to go somewhere that is less noisy or less distracting, stressing that you want to say something more or less important.

9. Avoid focusing too much on one point

Whether you are having a conversation or writing a document, it is possible that some issues are affected more than others. This does not necessarily have to be bad, however, adequate prominence should be given to those points that deserve it, no more than necessary.

Points that may be superficial but still give meaning to the conversation or text as a whole must also be taken into account.

That is why you should avoid focusing too much on the same point, since in that case you run the risk of seeming too heavy-handed or only having understood a very small part of the whole subject that has been covered treaty.

10. Encourage the participation of others

A fairly common situation, which would be within verbal communication of an oral type, is that not only two people participate in the same conversation, but more. In this type of situation it often happens that, despite having several members in the group, only two or, at most, three are the ones who are having the real conversation.

A good way to demonstrate strong verbal skills, as well as strengthen the bonds between conversationalists, is to encourage the participation of others. In addition to not feeling ignored, it is possible that they say something that enriches the conversation, but that they have not dared to say before due to lack of assertiveness.

11. Resume

After having talked long and hard about a topic or, in case the conversation or the text in question is coming to an end, it always looks good summarize the main points mentioned throughout the conversation.

In this way it is possible to review what has not been completely clear, and influence it if it is convenient.

On the other hand, a demonstration is made of the attention span that has been put into practice throughout the conversation or in the preparation of the written text.

Bibliographic references:

• Serra, M. (2013) Psychology of communication and language. Barcelona: Editions and Publications of the University of Barcelona.
• Carroll, D.W. (2006). Language psychology. Madrid: Thomson
• Miller, G. (1985) Language and speech. Madrid: Publishing Alliance
• Cortès-Colome, M. (2016). Psychology of linguistic communication. Madrid: Synthesis.