Effective communication is about getting your message across, whatever the message may be. If the building is on fire, you need to shout, "Fire," so other people realize they need to leave the building immediately. Usually though, effective communication is much more subtle. You may have to gently communicate difficult or stressful news, for example. The way you moderate your voice accordingly is just as important as the words you say to convey your message, according to "Effective Communication," a book written by linguists.
Many people think of effective communication as a set of abilities connected with speaking yet, according to The University of Maine's Group Works, active listening is a key component. To improve your communication skills, you should practice active listening. Face the person who is talking and maintain eye contact. Be relaxed as you listen attentively and without interruption. Try to process the information the speaker is giving you to optimize the benefits of active listening.
Collaboration skills are vitally important to human society, so much so that humans begin learning these skills as toddlers, among other toddlers. If her toddler takes all the toys, mom will usually intervene to show her offspring how to share. Sharing is key to collaboration. When humans share responsibility for a project, they need to collaborate to get the job done. Collaborating effectively is not necessarily straightforward and even teachers, who often urge their students to share or work together, have to sometimes take courses in the subject.
According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, effective collaboration skills are even more important in the age of the Internet. Sharing of intellectual and other resources is commonplace on the Internet, often requiring selfless work on the part of the few to benefit the many. Sites which are accruals of collective knowledge require a number of collaboration skills, not the least of which is the skill of allowing someone else to modify one's work.