What Are Verbal Communication Skills?
Almost every job requires workers to use verbal communication skills.
That’s why verbal skills are highly ranked on the candidate evaluation checklists
used by many job interviewers.
The stronger your communication skills, the better your chances of getting
hired regardless of the job for which you’re applying. You’ll do better during the
interview, as well as on the job.
Effective verbal communication skills include more than just talking. Verbal
communication encompasses both how you deliver messages and how you
receive them. Communication is a soft skill, and it’s one that is important to every
employer.
Workers who can convey information clearly and effectively are highly
valued by employers. Employees who can interpret messages and act
appropriately on the information that they receive have a better chance of
excelling on the job.
Verbal Communication Skills in the Workplace
What constitutes effective verbal communication on the job depends on the
relationships between communication partners and the work context:
● Verbal communication in a work setting takes place between many
different individuals and groups such as co-workers, bosses and
subordinates, employees, customers, clients, teachers and students, and
speakers and their audiences.
● Verbal communication occurs in many different contexts including training
sessions, presentations, group meetings, performance appraisals, one-on-
one discussions, interviews, disciplinary sessions, sales pitches, and
consulting engagements.
Examples of Verbal Communication Skills
Here are some examples of effective workplace verbal communication skills
employed in different workplace contexts.
Verbal Communications for Supervisors: The best supervisors don’t merely
tell their subordinates what to do and expect them to listen. Instead, they
employ active listening skills to understand employee needs and perspectives,
engage in verbal negotiation to address and defuse issues, and capitalize upon
opportunities to praise individual and team achievement.
● Advising others regarding an appropriate course of action
● Assertiveness
● Conveying feedback in a constructive manner emphasizing specific,
changeable behaviors
● Disciplining employees in a direct and respectful manner
● Giving credit to others
● Recognizing and countering objections
● Showing an interest in others, asking about and recognizing their feelings
● Speaking calmly even when you’re stressed
● Terminating staff
● Training others to carry out a task or role
● Using affirmative sounds and words like “uh-huh,” “got you,” “I
understand,” “for sure,” “I see,” and “yes” to demonstrate understanding
● Using self-disclosure to encourage sharing
Verbal Communications for Team Members: Open and constant lines of
communication are vital to team success, particularly when completing quality-
and deadline-critical projects. One of the most important team-building skills,
strong verbal communications help to ensure that issues will be spotted and
resolved in formative stages, averting costly escalation.
● Conveying messages concisely
● Encouraging reluctant group members to share input
● Explaining a difficult situation without getting angry
● Explaining that you need assistance
● Paraphrasing to show understanding
● Posing probing questions to elicit more detail about specific issues
● Receiving criticism without defensiveness
● Refraining from speaking too often or interrupting others
● Requesting feedback
● Stating your needs, wants, or feelings without criticizing or blaming
Verbal Communications with Clients: If a large part of your work involves one-
on-one communications with customers, it’s helpful to have a “gift of gab” –
particularly if you are a sales professional. Keep in mind, though, that your
conversations need to be focused upon identifying and addressing your clients’
needs; using your verbal talents to encourage consultative dialogues will ensure
positive client relations.
● Anticipating the concerns of others
● Asking for clarification
● Asking open-ended questions to stimulate dialogue
● Calming an agitated customer by recognizing and responding to their
complaints
● Emphasizing benefits of a product, service, or proposal to persuade an
individual or group
● Noticing non-verbal cues and responding verbally to verify confusion,
defuse anger, etc.
Verbal Communications for Presenters: Public speaking is a talent that is
honed both through practice and through formal training. Speaking articulately
and persuasively to a live audience involves:
● Enunciating each word you speak clearly
● Introducing the focus of a topic at the beginning of a presentation or
interaction
● Planning communications prior to delivery
● Projecting your voice to fill the room
● Providing concrete examples to illustrate points
● Restating important points towards the end of a talk
● Selecting language appropriate to the audience
● Speaking at a moderate pace, not too fast or too slowly
● Speaking confidently but with modesty
● Summarizing key points made by other speakers
● Supporting statements with facts and evidence
● Tailoring messages to different audiences
● Telling stories to capture an audience
● Using humor to engage an audience
Tips to Improve Your Verbal Communications
Even if you are a shy introvert who prefers to work independently, there
are ways to improve your verbal communication skills so that you can more
easily cultivate rapport with others.
Practice makes perfect, and so take the time to actively practice these
communications skills for workplace success: active listening, clarity and
conciseness, confidence, empathy, friendliness, open-mindedness, giving and
soliciting feedback, confidence, respectfulness, and non-verbal (body language,
tone of voice, eye contact) communication.
