Clear communication is crucial to successful professional and personal relationships. It’s not such common knowledge though how to make your messages as clear as possible. Here are five tips on how to communicate better.

Check out:  5 Ways to Communicate More Clearly 

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Listen

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Glossary

• hinge on – depend on
• initiate – start
• camraderie –  mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together
• rathole – used to refer to the waste of money or resources
• stoke up – make sb feel enthusiastic
• cowardly – lacking courage
• overload – load with too great a burden or cargo
• hone – refine or perfect (something) over a period of time

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Think about it

Answer the questions below.

• According to the author who is the winner in every business competition?
• Why is it important to know the “why?”
• In what communication contexts is email far inferior to in-person communication?
• Why should factual communication be delivered in writing?
• What is not a good idea to try and dominate a conversation?

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Practice makes perfect

Fill in the blank spaces with the missing words. Use ONE word per blank space.

Whenever you’re communicating ________ work, you’re wasting time and energy if you don’t know the reason the communication is ________ place. Before you initiate any communication, ask yourself, “What ________ I trying to accomplish?” Even chitchat should have a purpose, even ________ it’s just to build camaraderie. If somebody else is initiating the conversation, ask yourself, “Why is this conversation taking place?” If the answer isn’t obvious, guide the dialogue to the “why” ________ it. Understanding and focusing on the “why” allows you to avoid side issues and ratholes that might otherwise obscure ________ situation.

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Everybody in today’s business world suffers ________ massive information overload, ________creates seemingly endless confusion and stress. If you want to ________ through the noise, you need to make your message ________ simple and easy to digest as possible. My posts “5 Free Apps That Make You Seem Smart” and “8 Conversational Habits That Kill Credibility” explain how ________ better hone your messages. Another place for solid information ________ clear business communication is my free weekly newsletter, where I critique and rewrite sales messages ________ make them easier to read.

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