Communicating with people to get your message across requires you to keep your message clear and concise. The message needs to be presented in a short and succinct manner that is easy for the listener to understand. Avoid using too much slang or jargon and going off on tangents. To communicate effectively with others -- whether friends, family or co-workers -- learn how to get the point of your message across by using the most effective and appropriate words.
The use of nonverbal gestures, such as facial expressions, posture and distance, is part of being an effective communicator. For the listener to hear the message and be responsive to it, make sure that your facial expressions complement the message you are delivering. Communicating emotions through facial expressions and posture also lets the listener know whether you are open and responsive while communicating or closed off and uncommunicative.
Using a pleasant tone of voice and keeping the volume of your voice at an appropriate level lets the listener know that you are calm and in control. Also, not speaking too fast or too slow keeps the listener tuned into what you are saying. A person who speaks very quickly can convey nervousness and anxiousness. Likewise, someone who speaks too slowly may come across as sad, tired or depressed.
Incorporating the three main components of effective communication leads to a more productive message. We become more efficient communicators and are able to get our point across in a shorter amount of time with fewer misunderstandings. Good communication skills take practice and effort, but are well worth the time as they pay off in good relations with others in our personal and professional lives.