Hallmarks of the Competent Communicator

A large repertoire of skills: good communicators don’t use the same approach in every situation. Sometimes it’s best to be blunt and sometimes tactful; there is a time to speak up and a time to be quiet. A large repertoire can help you achieve a variety of goals.
Adaptability: once you have a large repertoire of skills, you have to be able to choose the right one for a particular occasion.
Ability to perform skillfully: once you’ve chosen the appropriate way to communicate, you have to execute that behavior effectively. Practice is the key.
Involvement: good communicators care about the other person, about the subject, and about being understood. The most effective communication produces profitable results for all involved.
Empathy/Perspective Taking: people have the best chance of developing an effective message when they understand the other person’s point of view. This allows you to develop strategies about how best to influence them.
Self-monitoring: the process of paying close attention to your own behavior, from a detached viewpoint, and changing your behavior as the situation demands. To ask yourself, “how am I doing?” and to change accordingly is a tremendous asset.

Do you want to learn how to develop the interpersonal skills needed to get heard, get credit, and get ahead?