Active listening

01 Maintain strong eye contact

Maintaining steady eye contact during a conversation established trust and lets the listener know that you are serious.

02 Familiarize yourself with body language

Understanding non-verbal cues will vastly improve your communication skills. Be able to gauge your audience based on their body language.

03 Become a master of small talk

Understand which topics make for good small talk. Great relationships (personal and professional) all usually start with small talk. Being comfortable during this type of communication will improve your communication skills in other areas.

04 Never over talk

Become an active listener and never talk over another person during a conversation. This is a massive issue for many during communication. Avoid it completely.

05 Know your "why"

Know precisely what you are trying to accomplish during specific discussions. Are you attempting to network? Do you want to learn something? Understanding your end goal while communicating will help you communicate more effectively.