Learning to articulate who we are and what we want is crucial. We are constructed by language. Communicating our thoughts, needs and motives happen on a conscious and an unconscious level – sometimes there is not much we can do about the unconscious – but we can certainly learn to articulate effectively both in speaking and in our written communication. Learning to speak well and to write well are not mysterious tasks – they are skills that can be learned like any other skill. Here are some suggestions for ways you can increase your communication skills.
Read, read, read: Reading a variety of books, magazines, newspapers, articles and letters helps us learn to write better. There are few great writers who are not voracious readers. Choose two books and from both of them every day. One book is your fun book – on a subject you enjoy, perhaps a mystery or a thriller. The other is a much harder book – perhaps one that is a little bit hard to follow or has words you do not recognize. This book will ‘train’ our brain to recognize and learn new things - and this makes it easier to learn to be more articulate.
Increase your vocabulary: Adding new words to your arsenal adds depth and richness to your communication, both oral and written. One way to increase your vocabulary is to pick a new word from the dictionary and practice using it in your speech. Don’t choose words that are too “not you” but words that you have heard used but don’t use yourself. Or, use a thesaurus to look up a new word for a word you use regularly. For example instead of saying “regularly” you could say “habitually” or “repeatedly.” All three mean essentially the same thing but using a new word you rarely use increases your vocabulary.
Write, write, write: The best way to get better at anything is to practice it. This is true of writing too. With the internet it is possible to write all the time. Find a blog on a subject you enjoy; movies, knitting, sports, or politics and submit comments. Move from there to writing reviews of products you have bought, businesses you have visited and books you have read. Taking time to read other reviews that are well written and meaningful can help you write your own. One technique to learn this is called “writing over.” What it means is taking a piece of writing you like and writing a new piece and adapting it to your new subject. This is not the kind of writing you can submit as your own work – but it will help you learn the way good writing is accomplished.
Listening and reading, increasing your vocabulary and practicing writing well will aid you in nearly every area of your life, including your professional life.
