Want to express yourself well? Here’s what you should know

In many situations in life, including at the workplace, you need to express yourself. You may require this for resolving issues, voicing your views, countering an opinion expressed by others, etc. Expressing yourself denotes giving shape to your inner thoughts, ideas and views, in a lucid and clear manner. Your expression should not have an iota of doubt, hesitation, and uncertainty. When you are able to express your thoughts and ideas properly, in a professional capacity, it makes things better for you and others.

Things that may hold you back from expressing yourself properly

At times, you may not be able to express yourself properly. This can be owing to a number of factors. Once you realise the hurdles well, it will be easier for you to express your views and thoughts well. 

Nervousness

You may sometimes hold back your views and thoughts in workplace events like meetings and seminars because of hesitation and uncertainty. You may feel unsure about how others will accept your views.

Comparison 

Sometimes, constant comparison with what is perceived as great articulation may make you unable to express yourself. This can stem from many roots including colleagues having better expression efficacy or a past experience of being unable to express your thoughts well.

Lack of fluency

 A lack of fluency in English may hold you back from expressing your thoughts and ideas clearly. Do not feel down if this is the case as millions of individuals face the same issue, professionally. Thankfully, you can always resort to digital platforms like PracUp to improve your English spoken skills and express your thoughts better.

Vocabulary

Some people are unable to express themselves well owing to limited vocabulary. They struggle to find the right words while speaking and that makes it hard to express their thoughts clearly. 

Lack of speaking practice

 When you do not practice speaking much, it becomes hard to figure out how to express yourself when the need arises. Sometimes, it can be owing to your situation or job type (desk jobs requiring little verbal interaction, for example). If you are in this case, you can use platforms like PracUpto salvage the situation. 

Measures that you can adopt to express yourself better

It is possible to resolve the issues holding you back from expressing yourself clearly, in a professional capacity. You may try the below-listed measures for this.

Confidence building

A lot of the times, you fail to express yourself clearly owing to nervousness and overthinking. You may apprehend being judged for what you say and how you speak, as it is. You can tackle this fear of being judged by boosting your confidence level. You have to develop the confidence to speak without hesitation. Train your mind to rise above the feeling of insecurity and inferiority. This takes time but you can acquire confidence by enhancing your communication skills, using traditional and online means.

Observe good speakers

 You can learn a lot about the ways to express yourself clearly by observing people who communicate well. They may include some of your co-workers and friends as well. When they speak, observe how they articulate sentences, use pitch and take pauses in between sentences, etc. By observing such speakers carefully, you will be able to pick up nuances of clear communication, over time. 

Prepare well in advance

 Preparing for a meeting or workplace event in advance when you know you are expected to interact with others will be helpful. It will let you express your views and ideas in a lucid way. You can do many things to enhance preparation. You can check out the online resources and jot down the main points to be discussed, as there are plenty of options.

Improve your vocabulary

When your vocabulary is wide, it becomes easier to express your views and thoughts on various topics. To improve your vocabulary, you may read books and magazines, including those covering your career topics and job niche. If reading printed books and magazines make you tired, try reading online editions. However, practicing conversations with veteran coaches on platforms like PracUp can also enhance vocabulary.

Use proper body language

When you express yourself professionally, people not only listen to what you say. They also observe your demeanour and appearance well. Your self-expression will remain incomplete and ineffective if your body language is not proper. So, ensure you maintain an apt presence at the workplace when expressing your thoughts. This is applicable when you are talking with a single person or at a meeting. Reflect confidence. Refrain from making many movements and looking at random directions when you speak as these indicate stress and nervousness.

Practice speaking

Unless you practice speaking regularly, expressing your inner thoughts and ideas verbally will remain tedious. There are various options to practice speaking in English and you have to choose wisely. 

You can speak without involving anyone else. Using mobile or web apps for simulating real-life interaction can be used. You may also use the digital assistants available on your mobile device. This works to an extent but cannot replace the experience of engaging in a conversation with a human.

Practising conversation in English with your friends and close colleagues may seem like an easy option, too. However, it may not always be easy or viable. Owing to hectic work schedules and lack of a mutually convenient time, this can be hard to accomplish.

A much better option is practising with seasoned coaches on a dedicated online platform, at a time that suits you the best. This is why PracUp is a great option for practising conversation and boosting your expression capability. It lets you pick courses matching your fluency and proficiency level.

Learn to manage distractions

There can be certain distractions that hinder your expression capabilities. Try to minimize such distractions and learn how to manage them. Before you start speaking, it can be good to put your mobile phone in silent mode. Any buzz or ringtone when you are speaking can disrupt your focus and thought flow. Also, it is prudent to not keep any appointment or task scheduled after an event where you need to interact and express yourself well. 

Evade using vague terms, phrases

The type of words used by you affects the efficacy of your self-expression, eventually. When you want to express your inner thoughts, choosing words that reflect conviction and certainty is a necessity. Therefore, make it a point not to use ambiguous words and phrases in professional communication, ever. The words that you should try not to use include: Maybe, probably, perhaps etc. To excel more in these nuances, practicing conversing on a platform like PracUp will be helpful.

Avoid using jargon and abbreviations

Excessive usage of jargon and abbreviations when speaking makes it hard for some people to interact well and express themselves clearly. If you also use these in your conversations, it can adversely affect the clarity of communication. Not everyone listening to you will be familiar with jargon and abbreviations. Therefore, using difficult words is not recommended. Using simple, crisp, and short sentences tends to have a better impact on the listeners.

Use references and examples

Sometimes, you may find it hard to explain some points or ideas while speaking with others. In such situations, you may resort to using relevant examples and drawing references. This will make it easy for others to comprehend your idea. For example, you may refer to instances of entities making strategic business moves while suggesting a similar move for your organization. 

Summing it up

By now, you should have figured out how to express yourself in a professional capacity. Good observation and practicing conversation regularly will boost your self-expression efficacy, for sure. When you practice conversation on a tailor-made online platform like PracUp, obtaining expected results without delay is possible.