Personal development is an ongoing process of evaluating one’s values, and principles to reach one’s long-term goals. It includes communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability skills.

To bring personal development into one’s life, it is imperative to nurture one’s communication skills. There are different components of communication skills namely active listening, confidence, empathy, non-verbal gestures, and mirroring.

“In my early professional years, I was asking the question: 

How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? 

Now I would phrase the question in this way: 

How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his personal growth?”–  Carl Rogers

Importance of Personal Development and Communication Skills

Personal Development 

Personal development skills are essential for both personal and professional progress. So, these skills can be used to attain short-term, long-term goals, and advancement in career. Additionally, improvement in strengths, and overall life satisfaction.

Communication Skills 

The importance of communication skills at home is that it makes it easier to build connections with others. For instance, it is important to overcome poor communication skills with children, spouses, and other family members. 

At a workplace, effective communication is essential for smooth functioning in all departments. For example, in a marketing department, it is critical to have strong communication skills so that products become valuable for customers and they buy them. Hence, all of this will bring profits to the company. Moreover, to attract new customers as well as maintain a bond with old ones, communication skills play a significant role. 

Top 5 Personal Development Skills

Personal development skills play a critical role in shaping the personality of an individual. There are many types of personal development skills imperative for human growth which are jotted down below. 

Communication

Communication is not just verbal but also written, visual, and listening skills. It becomes easier to understand the true message conveyed by others and vice versa. 

For example, resumes, exams and forms at different places require written communication; daily conversations with colleagues, family members, and an interview setting require verbal communication ability. Finally, visual communication can be seen in ads, billboards, newspapers, social media sites, and many more places. It is important to have all the aspects of communication skills that allow individuals to grow individually. 

Interpersonal

This is also known as a social skill that is very important for success in personal and professional lives. It is not only about words (verbal communication) but also body language, and the tone of voice (non-verbal communication). For example, at an organization, an employee and his boss are having a conversation. The employee notices that his boss is showing physical signs of distress while talking about a meeting, so he uses his active listening skills to connect with his boss and make him feel understood.

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving skill is an individual’s ability to solve personal and workplace problems effectively. 

For example, Sasha faced a problem with her computer because a virus had infected it. For this problem to be solved, she had to collaborate and communicate with the IT team at her organization. Due to her effective communication skills, she was able to cooperate well with the IT guy and get her issue resolved. 

Leadership

The ability to lead others is about guiding people towards a shared goal. This is extremely important at a workplace. A good leader has the ability to motivate others and even themselves so that productivity remains optimal. Leadership not only benefits workplaces but also allows individuals to connect at a personal level with fellow human beings. 

Adaptability

Adaptability is one’s skill to regulate oneself according to the new situation. Those who welcome change and are comfortable about it can live and work with people from diverse backgrounds. Moreover, they can stay calm and cool in tough scenarios. 

Top 5 Communication Skills

Communication skills are required in every aspect of life be it a workplace or a home. There are many components of communication skills and some of them are mentioned below.

Active Listening

It means to pay undivided attention to others while communicating. This can be done by making eye contact, asking good questions for better understanding, and paying attention to the emotions expressed.

Confidence

Confidence allows individuals to effectively convey their message. It is essential to have confidence in a workplace or any other setting; It can be incorporated in life by practicing good eye contact, sitting straight with the back upright, with open shoulders, and hands. Having a conversation with preparation beforehand also shows confidence in one’s demeanor.

Empathy

Empathy is about connecting with others emotionally; it is extremely useful for dealing with team members, one’s life partner, and even teenagers. For example, during a discussion when someone is expressing unpleasant emotions like anger, an empath can help them de-escalate and calm down. On the other hand, when someone expresses surprise and joy, an empath will share the happiness with them.

Non-Verbal Communication (NVC)

NVC is about body language. It has many aspects like facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, eye contact, handshake, and others. During a conversation, It is not only important to pay attention to the non-verbal communication of others but also to monitor the non-verbal gestures of oneself.

Mirroring 

Mirroring can be done with words as well as body language. Non-verbal mirroring is about reflecting the body gestures of others. For instance, facing each other while talking, making gentle eye contact, and doing triple nods to show agreement. Coming towards verbal mirroring, it is about matching the pace and volume of the other individual, and their word choices. For example, during a conversation with an individual, the listener notices that the speaker uses the word ‘great!’ often, then the other person can echo the same word while responding. The purpose is to build a stronger rapport and eventually a long-term connection with people. 

Concluding Words

To wrap up, personal growth and the skill to communicate effectively are crucial to being an efficient leader and a good partner. The practical skills shared in this article can be applied in diverse settings. One thing that should be kept in mind is that cultivating communication skills and growing on a personal level is a lifelong learning path.