How to practice communication skills for introverts?

Do you wonder why most job postings require candidates to have good communication skills? Actual survey shows the ability to communicate effectively with superiors; colleagues and partners are extremely important; no matter what industry you work in.

Even the professions that are defaulted to rarely meet and interact with many people such as accountants; programmer; design; etc still need good communication skills. 

Thanks to this skill, you can be more favorable in conquering work goals, as well as receive support from people throughout the work process.

Read this far, if you feel nervous when you suddenly realize that you are an introvert and communication is not your strength, I  have compiled a list of tips for improving communication skills for introverts. content below!

Leverage the strengths of small group communication 

Introverts aren’t the social type, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad at communicating.

In fact, introverts prefer to communicate in a small group (only 2-3 people) and can be strong in 1:1 interactions. This trend is really an advantage, especially in the areas of Business, Sales, etc., because trust is often built in deep and close conversations. 

So, to get the most out of your conversations, communication skills advice for introverts is to take advantage of this and focus your time working with the people who matter and are relevant. best.

If you need to discuss a project, invite the most important people to the meeting, or break it up into small meetings with stakeholders.

If you want to reach customers, instead of applying cold calling or participating in large forums and fairs, identify some of the most potential customers and have a 1:1 approach to them.

Start practicing from one-on-one conversations

Beginnings are always important, especially new things. Advice for introverts is to focus more on small or 1:1 conversations at first.

Getting to know how to communicate with introverts with a limited audience will help you build confidence. 

You can then start participating in larger events and gradually increase your audience. 

In addition, another benefit of one-on-one communication is that it is an in-depth conversation, which feels more intimate and is also more receptive to information than talking to a group of people.

Always prepare “ideas” when communicating in large groups

Crowds sometimes make you feel uncomfortable and lack confidence when communicating. However, that’s only if you can’t find a topic for your conversation. 

An effective way to communicate for introverts is to prepare a number of topics that can be discussed in advance, such as:

• Has there been anything new and interesting in your work lately?
• What was the most memorable thing about the last working week for you?
• The story [an event of interest] seems to be hot, what do you think about that?

If you are still unsure about your communication skills as an introvert; think of Susan Cain as an inspiration. 

Susan is one of the most followed speakers at TED Talk . She is also an introvert and gives positive inspirational speeches.

Always practice first

In everyday communication or public speaking, it is not equally easy for introverts. The secret to communication for introverts to increase their confidence and control their emotions is to practice first. 

If in a meeting you need to give a presentation but find it difficult to speak in public, practice your presentation well in front of a mirror and imagine a scenario where many people are watching. The more you practice, the more confident you will be. 

For example, if it is an outing, meeting, after coming up with ideas about stories that you want to share, practice and remember it, boldly contribute funny or interesting stories you have experienced. to improve communication.

Think but don’t be silent

In a meeting or chat, don’t worry if you tend to focus on thinking more than speaking up! 

Not giving an immediate answer is not a big deal. However, you also need to give a certain response so that those around you know that you are having your own thoughts and will come back after carefully considering the answer. 

According to Val Nelson, an introvert writer, you might respond to people saying, “I think your idea is quite interesting; However, I have a few thoughts that need to be more defined, so I’ll come back to that later.” 

This will make everyone around you feel less awkward than if you answered their question with a silence. They will also likely appreciate the subtlety of your approach.

In addition, to avoid creating silence because of your thinking habits, you can practice taking notes in your notebook before the meeting so that you can exchange and share with everyone.

Give yourself some quiet time

According to Marti Laney, author of The Introvert Advantage , introverts are thoughtful people; imaginative; tend to work independently and think outside the box. 

These strengths come into play especially well when they are alone, or after fully refueling themselves!

Therefore, the secret to communication for introverts is sometimes to stop communicating. Instead, take a moment to rest, enjoy some alone time to recharge your depleted “energy tank”.

To do that, you can determine what time should be used to rest and avoid booking meetings and appointments that require a lot of communication at that time.

Learn to listen and respond

One of the strengths of introverts is their ability to listen. Most people live introspectively instead of speaking up, arguing, arguing about a certain issue. They will choose to be silent and listen to the story. 

However, good listening is not enough. If you’re looking for communication tips for introverts, develop your ability to analyze the situation the speaker is trying to present. 

Perhaps because you are not confident enough, you are not ready to make personal judgments. But if you understand the problem well, analyze the right and wrong situation, you will be more confident in giving feedback in all conversations.

Control body language

Effective communication is not only through words, but also through body gestures as well as facial expressions. 

One communication tip for introverts is not to show panic on the outside with body language. 

This both confuses you and makes the other person realize that you’re not ready for the conversation. From there, it will be difficult for them to open up and share information with you. 

Practice placing your hands on top of each other to create a calm, confident demeanor. Refrain from looking down when speaking. If you are not used to making eye contact, you can choose a safe spot in a person, or an object to look at when giving a speech. 

Don’t force yourself to overreact

Communication skills for introverts need to be improved little by little over time. Do not try to force yourself to do good things, good things that your physical or mental health does not allow. They will only make you feel more frustrated.

You are inherently a quiet person, so you can’t be as active in a short time as other individuals. Remember, don’t be too strict for yourself to have your own silence and look back on the small initial successes in communication.

Stay away from people who don’t respect your individuality.

When practicing communication skills for introverts, confidence is one of the most important factors.

Don’t let negative emotions or judgments dominate your confidence. Tell yourself that changing the way you communicate for introverts is not easy, and it takes time and effort to make it happen.

Therefore, negative comments are not worth your sadness or discouragement. Simply put them aside and continue being yourself.

Get rid of the pressure of chatting

At first, when you are not used to it, you may feel suffocated in long conversations. Be bold enough to interrupt the conversation by asking permission to go to the bathroom, get a drink, get a drink, or a straightforward request to take a break.

Take this short time to give your brain a break, take a deep breath, and bring yourself back to a state of alertness to get back into the conversation with people.

That’s when most of your best ideas will emerge – powerful ideas; unique; and make a difference. And don’t forget to keep in mind a few of the ideas you like best. You can use them to restart an interesting conversation with someone else!