What Are the Three Types of Communication Skills?

by Karen Cortell Reisman | Feb 16, 2021

Old news: Communication happens in these three ways – verbal, nonverbal and visual.

New news: The three communication skills needed today – engage, listen and adapt.

Communicators do exchange information verbally, nonverbally and visually; but current times require more.

Communication Skill #1: Engage.

You engage others by knowing your content, using stories and examples to support your topics, and delivering your info with clarity and confidence. You keep your board room engaged by staying on topic, finding the humor, and using visuals that enhance vs confuse your message.

Communication Skill #2: Listen.

I love irony. The best communicators are those that learn when to stop talking. It’s not always around what you say – it’s around what you hear others say. You already know what you know. If you stop, and actively listen, you gain info, awareness and insight.

Communication Skill #3: Adapt.

A client just told me that pandemic virtual zoom meetings have shortened their sales cycle. “We used to do conference calls and after several of these we’d travel to them and have a face-to-face meeting. Now it’s all handled virtually and we get face time from the start.” Adapt or die. The virtual presentation is here to stay. Call us to work with your company on “How to Speak For Yourself in any Virtual Room.”

Communication means shared comprehension. The bubble on top of your head is the same as the bubble on top of your listener’s head and vice versa. You do this by engaging, listening and adapting.

Now go sip one of those three glasses of wine.

© 123RF Stock Photo

Karen Cortell Reisman, M.S., author of 2 books and President of Speak For Yourself®, works with decision makers on how to speak with gravitas. It’s all in how you speak for yourself. Karen also speaks about her cousin, #AlbertEinstein, in a message about hope, resilience and brassieres.