Whether you’re in business or working at a corporate firm, verbal communication skills are a must-have for one to succeed. In every part of the corporate world, it’s evident that this form of skill is necessary; be it in work meetings, presentations or during any other formal and non-formal communication. Faustin Mutabazi, the chief executive officer at Educational Consultancy Bureau, an organisation that supports education and curriculum activities, says when it comes to business, excellent verbal communication is one of the most important factors for maintaining successful business relationships. He says this in the sense that verbal communication helps in increasing productivity, minimising mistakes as well as making operations more effective. Why it’s important Mutabazi, who is also, an entrepreneur says when it comes to verbal communication in an enterprise or organisation, it helps in building a positive image as a whole. He explains that with it, comes a clear and transparent channel of communication among customers, partners, competitors, and other stakeholders. Besides, he points out that during formal meetings, clear and transparent verbal communication ensures the flow of ideas. This, he says, could range from new marketing channels to different ways of promoting your organisation. Sylvain Bizirema, an educator in Nyanza District says strong verbal communication plays a big role when it comes to ensuring satisfaction. Here, he explains that maintaining a good relationship between an employer and employee, there must be clear communication between the two parties. “This is crucial especially when there is need to make employees understand their roles at work. This helps them improve their performance in general as well as work on their weaknesses and challenges at the same time,” he says. Besides, he notes that verbal communication also increases confidence levels thus boosting productivity at work. In addition to this, Bizirema says when verbal communication is ensured all the time in an organisation, it helps save time. “When communication is not clear among employees or people intended to get information, this can result in time wastage as one would need more time to get to understand what is being communicated,” he says. On the contrary, he says when what is communicated is clear and on point, time spent on passing across information becomes less. For this reason, he says there is need for every team member to ensure that the communication is authentic, clear, and on point, for everyone to be on the same page. Mutabazi says when you have strong verbal communication skills, you automatically gain the power to persuade or influence others at the workplace as well as in your personal life. This skill, he says, is also regarded as a great marketing technique. Meanwhile, studies indicate that when you follow the rules and importance of verbal communication, one is not confined to one job role and responsibility or a single industry domain. Improving verbal communication Diana Nawatti, an educator says it’s important to understand that everything needs practice and consistency. For this reason, she points out that for one to perfect their verbal communication, practicing it is vital. Besides, she notes that getting knowledge through reading is also important when it comes to improving your verbal communication skills. “When you read broadly, it helps you learn more words and thereby increasing your vocabulary. It also improves the way one communicates to others,” she says. She adds that it is recommended that one reads more about the field in which they are currently working. This has been proven to be more effective when it comes to shaping your skills in verbal communication. Nawatti points out listening as an important way of improving on your verbal communication. Listening is one of the effective ways to improve verbal communication. This method is effective because it helps a person to think from the listener’s perspective and to speak accordingly, she adds.
