Communication begins before we utter a single word.
It doesn’t matter how well you speak, or how interesting you are – what really counts when connecting with people is your attitude. If you have the wrong attitude no one is going to care how well-informed or talented you are. People want to work with someone who is comfortable with themselves, happy to be where they are and interested in helping them {the customer} It doesn’t matter to your customer if you’re not feeling the best or your last client was not very nice to you, they just want to be taken care of. Every minute of every day, your attitude is your choice. If you’re having a bad day wallowing in your own misery will only serve to make you feel more unhappy. On the other hand choosing to act in a cheerful manner will help you to actually feel happy.
You are the creator of your own image. Keep in mind that people who don’t know you don’t have any preconceived notions of who you are. How people react to you is a direct reflection of how you feel about yourself. Even if you don’t realize it, you act out and show the world how you feel about yourself. For instance, if you think you don’t have very good social skills, you probably don’t smile easily, initiate conversations with people you don’t know and shy away from groups. Whether or not it’s true, your actions are telling others you don’t care to be included…so they don’t include you. Try telling yourself you are a smart, interesting and likable person and watch the difference in how others act toward you.
Stand {or sit} up straight and smile! Your body language says much more about you than you think it does, yet we rarely give it a second thought. From the moment you enter the room your body movements are telling everyone exactly how you feel. Practice good posture by standing tall (not stiff!) with your shoulders relaxed, drawn back and down, keep your head level and make eye-contact especially while having conversations with people. Put the kibosh on nervous habits such as fidgeting, playing with your jewelry, hair, smoothing your clothes or constantly checking the time. You may be so used to these habits that you don’t even notice you have them, but they tell others you are either nervous, insecure or can’t wait to be somewhere else. Understand what your body language is saying and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a captivating communicator.