Learning how to communicate in a professional manner is important for a work environment. A work environment requires successful employees to be able to speak appropriately to a wide variety of people, as well as be clear and concise. Four communications strategies that work in many conversations are: active listening, eye contact, assertiveness, and empathy. By practicing these strategies, you may find yourself a more confident and successful communicator.

Active Listening

Active listening is a way of showing people that they are truly being listened to. It is a pattern of conversation with a combination of cues indicating that listening is taking place. Some of these cues are an open stance and posture, attentive listening, and paraphrasing when the other person is speaking. Active listening is a way to make others feel special, like their conversation is valued, which in return can make a very successful conversation.

Eye Contact

Good eye contact is the ability to look someone in the eyes during communication. Eye contact is a form of trust that shows a person’s intentions. People can also express feelings and emotions through their eyes without even verbally communicating. Good eye contact in conversation can be one of the most inviting ways to make a person feel welcome and important.

Assertiveness

It may be easy to get assertiveness and aggressiveness confused. So what exactly is assertiveness? Assertiveness is a way of communicating that gets your point of view across but in a respectful way. If you are having problems with a coworker and need to express your frustration or concern, you can communicate in an assertive manner by explaining the problem in a calm, confident manner rather than through anger. You never know how others will react to your assertiveness, but it’s important to stay confident and know that you can only control your actions --- not someone else's.

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes. It means to be able to feel another person’s pain or frustration by trying to understand their experiences. One way to practice empathy is by being curious about others. This can be done through taking time to meet someone new. You may be surprised about what you learn and have in common with an individual. It is important to realize that through empathy you may find --- we all may be different, but in some way or another, we are also very much alike.

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