Communication Skills

BOOK REVIEW: COMMUNICATION SKILLS
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(17, January, 2011).
Communication Skills
The best ways to improve my listening skills include: reaming focused on the speaker and I achieve this by letting them know that I am giving them full attention by giving some verbal cues like leaning forward, smiling, nodding or even sometimes if allowed saying ‘yeah, I see` or ‘yes`. In addition to that, I always maintain an eye contact with speaker and limit the habit of looking in another direction or making distracting glances. Another way that helps me improve my listening skills is by asking questions and try to get views from other listeners on the topic the speaker is speaking about. Moreover I avoid interrupting the speaker and try as much as possible to acknowledge other persons feelings by making them feel that it`s alright for them to feel the way they feel about certain issues (Hamilton , 2007).Finally before expressing my view on certain issues discussed I always ensure that I make a conscious choice about any response to avoid offending others or making the speaker feel ridiculed and to do this I try be patient as much as possible especially in situation that I don`t underhand the topic or issues being discussed and this helps me a lot to increasing my listening while avoiding being upset.
My best way to reduce speech anxiety is by preparing for the speech by writing out what I am to speak about and I do that by writing out the main points about the topic in a summery form usually I prefer writing them in a bullet from which helps me to talk to my audience better as doing this allows me to speak normally and helps me avoid the stilted reading manner which I often assume when am anxious. This strategy of trying to speak as if things are normal is always nerve wracking but is the best one because it is able to give me the greatly needed space to breath and think right on the issues am addressing to my audience. Moreover I always ensure that I research very extensively on the topic of my speech and makes sure that everything I am going to say is right and this help a lot to boost my confidence (Hamilton, 2007).
Another way I consider best in helping reduce my speech anxiety is by practicing a lot before the day of giving my speech. I manage to practice as much as possible on by myself and when I am confident am ready to give a great speech I then consider practicing it several times before one of my trusted friends who I wouldn`t feel offended if they tell me honestly how I fair on in such practices (Hamilton, 2007).Doing a lot of practice often gives me a lot of confidence hence would be less anxious when am giving my speech as it makes the speech familiar and easy to deliver. In addition to that I prefer inviting one of my friend or a family member to be in the audience and acts as my point of eye contact helping me forget about the presence of the rest of the audience.
Thirdly...