IT is said that great communication skills are the ticket to success in the academic and business world, and in the workplace having excellent speaking skills can help you at every stage of your career.

Research for development coming out of the University of the West Indies, Mona indicates that equipping students with oral skills to enable them to function in their daily professional lives is critical.

This study, Speaking Across the Curriculum, which is led by Dr Ingrid McLaren and Tasheney Francis, says ensuring the infusion of essential oral communication skills in the academic curriculum would undoubtedly produce well educated and well rounded students who would enter the world of work fully equipped with the requisite tools for the effective and efficient oral delivery of information.

Oral communication is the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one individual or group to another. According to Dr Ainsley Deer, director and CEO of Training Dynamics and Consultants Limited, communicating in the workplace should be based on the different levels of maturity that each individual posses.

Oral communication is the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one individual or group to another. According to Dr Ainsley Deer, director and CEO of Training Dynamics and Consultants Limited, communicating in the workplace should be based on the different levels of maturity that each individual posses.

“Think of it in terms of children. How you talk to a four-year-old versus someone who is 15 or 18 will vary. In the office people have different levels of psychological maturity so you can’t talk to everyone the same, or else you’re going to have problems,” Dr Deer said.

Improving your speaking skills should always be a top priority. Ways to do this include:

1. Listening

Always pay attention to what people are saying and allow them to talk without interrupting. This way the messages will be clearly sent.

2. Know your audience

As Dr Deer suggests, it is best to use different styles of communication, depending on who you’re dealing with.

3. Be specific

Always try to be brief and to the point with what you’re saying. Remember the Background, Reason, Information, End, Follow-up (BRIEF).

4. Eliminate space fillers

Constantly saying ‘ummm’ and ‘ahhh’ is a distraction to the person you’re speaking with. It also comes off as a sign of nervousness and a lack of confidence.

5. Body language