- We are going to answer the question, what are communication skills? And we'll do it by explaining the top 10 communication skills that hiring managers
say they are looking for for new employees and emerging leaders. So let's do it. (upbeat rock music) I'm Alex Lyon, and this
channel has almost 200 videos on communication and leadership. I also have a free course on the essential communication skills that all professionals should have. And I'll put a link to
that in the description below this video, and I'll
tell you more about it later. So to answer this question,
what are communication skills? I'm going to give you
the skills that employers are looking for that I distilled from
several online sources. I'll put those references in the description below this video. These top 10 skills are the
ones that appear most frequently across those lists. So these are in no particular order, and some of them overlap. I just listed them in a
way that made sense to me. But I'm still going to count
it down for dramatic effect. Collectively, the list
answers the big question, what are communication skills? Number 10 is public speaking
and presentation skills. This is probably the most
recognizable communication skill of all time. It could be a big presentation or speech, but it could also mean
standing up to share a three-minute message
in front of a small group at a meeting. It's unusual that entry-level
employees are great at this, unless they majored in
communication and college. But on the flip side, if you
are a strong stand-up speaker, you will instantly separate
yourself from the crowd. People see good public speaking,
and they say to themselves, "That's a leader." Number nine is persuasive skills. Persuasive skills are crucial
because we are constantly making requests for approval and support. The most effective persuasive
communication usually involves explaining to listeners that
there is some need or problem and then asking them to
support your proposed solution. This certainly happens while
you're standing up presenting, but this could happen one-on-one as well, or in a group meeting, even in
an email or written proposal. Number eight is interpersonal skills. This is that type of
one-on-one communication we do with our friends
and significant others. At work, we interact
one-on-one with colleagues, supervisors and subordinates. There are constant demands on
task related communication, like dealing with facts,
figures and spreadsheets, all while working under pressure. This context makes it
all the more important that we take the time to also interact in supportive and respectful ways to create mutual understanding
and satisfying connections. Number seven is listening skills. This is perhaps the most
underrated communication skill I know of. Good listening is a hidden superpower. This involves removing
distractions, tuning in and preparing yourself to absorb the other communicator's message. This could be listening
carefully to learn a new skill or important information. Or it could be listening
to be a supportive ear and build genuine relationships at work. I have heard it's said that
good leaders are good listeners. Closely related is number six,
communicating with empathy. This cuts across all
communication contexts. Empathy is our ability to put ourselves in the other person's shoes to feel what they might be feeling. That empathy helps us understand where people are coming from, and it builds trust. When we care and keep other
people's interests in mind, we are very likely to create
more helpful outcomes. Five is providing and accepting feedback. As a supervisor, you will
have to provide your employees with feedback to help them develop. And we can't just point
out their mistakes. Constructive feedback should
include some specific coaching to help people make improvements. It's equally important to
hear and receive feedback. It's easy to get defensive, especially when feedback is
not explained in a helpful way, but if you can learn
to be open to feedback and find something helpful in it, others will count it as a
valuable communication skill. And fourth is teamwork and
collaboration in groups. Working in teams is
exponentially more complicated than working one-on-one. People who are good in
groups have good task skills, like asking good questions, providing helpful information,
offering a point of view. And relationship dynamics
are also important, like encouraging, and supporting others, and staying positive. Nowadays, it's hard to
picture getting promoted if we aren't good with groups and teams. Three is nonverbal communication skills. And this isn't a separate skill, it overlaps all the
others we've mentioned. Still our nonverbal communication creates a powerful impression on others. Our non-verbals give off a
vibe that shades everything we say and do. I know a guy who
frequently rolled his eyes and made frustrated facial
expressions at meetings, and his supervisor finally
talked to him about it. And he honestly didn't even
realize he was doing it. Our nonverbal communication
and body language can be so automatic, but
like the others on the list, we can make improvements with some self-awareness and practice. And number two is phone skills. Since we are not
face-to-face on the phone, we notice other people's
tone of voice and timing much more than usual. If somebody pauses for too long, it can create the impression
that something went wrong. So somebody with good phone
skills might fill that pause with helpful information and say, "Give me a moment, I'm
looking something up." People with good phone
skills make small adjustments in their words and their
tone to create a helpful, more well-rounded interaction. And number one, and remember,
these are not in order, I'm just counting it down for fun. Number one is written skills. This could be emails, reports, a proposal. People will give you credit
for good written skills if you're organized, clear and concise, just like the other communication skills. Now, unlike the other real
time communication skills, you can put a written message aside, and come back to it later, and
revise it before sending it. So a word to the wise, never send the first draft
of an important message. Set it aside and revise
it before you click send. Let's look at this whole list. Yes, there are certainly
other communication skills, but when people ask the question, "What are communication skills?" this list gives you the top 10 that employers believe are most important. So question of the day,
which skill do you think is the most important for you to work on? And as mentioned, I have a free course on the essential communication skills that every professional should have. In fact, I narrowed this
down to the top five in that course. It's free. I encourage you to take a look at the link in the description below this video. Until next time, thanks, God bless. And I will see you soon.
