5 Communication Skills Millennials and Gen Z Need to Be Successful

I believe that effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful workplace. This is especially true for millennials and Gen Zers. We have grown up in a world of constant communication and information overload. Now more than ever we need to find tune our communication skills to be successful in the workplace.

Here are 5 key skills we all need, but especially for us Millennials and Gen Zers.

1. Active Listening – Most people assume communication is a speaker, speaking. That is not the case. Listening and understanding are vital elements of communication. Active listening involves focusing fully on the speaker, understanding their message, and providing feedback. Active listening is critical for building strong relationships with colleagues, understanding customer needs, and resolving conflicts.

2. Clear and Concise Writing – While digital communication was already heavily used; post pandemic, there is a rise of remote work and digital communication. With so much communication happening digitally, strong writing skills are more important than ever. Being able to write clearly and concisely to convey their message effectively and professionally is going to be a critical skill in the workplace for the forseeable future.

3. Nonverbal Communication – Everyone’s favorite, right? Maybe not but nonverbal communication is important. This includes body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions. We have to be aware of these cues because it’s easy to make mistakes here. Let’s be real, it is easy to shoot someone a side-eye when we are annoyed. Our face gives us away in a lot of instances. Becoming aware of these situations and mastering our nonverbals will give you a huge advantage in your professional career.

4. Emotional Intelligence – Emotional intelligence involves the ability to recognize and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. This is a hard skill to learn, but amazing if you master it. If you’re in any sort of long-term relationship, this is important far beyond our professional careers. In the workplace, emotional intelligence is key to building strong relationships, managing conflicts, and inspiring and motivating others.

5. Cultural Competence – With the increase of globalization and diversity in the workplace, cultural competence is more important than ever. Remote work, virtual offices/meetings, and international business are all regular parts of corporate life now. Cultural Competence is understanding and respecting cultural differences, communicating effectively with people from different backgrounds, and being aware of your own biases and assumptions.

These skills, if developed and improved upon will prove vital to the future of work. Master them, and you will set yourself apart as an expert communicator and leader!

Nick Dyson is the owner of Dyson Leadership and is a Maxwell Leadership Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach. Providing Leadership coaching, training, workshops, Lunch & Learns, and more!

To learn more about training provided by Dyson Leadership, visit our webpage.