For most people, communication is a skill that requires
a whole lot of practice to master. You need to learn what styles work in different settings … let's fact it, how you interact with your friends will rarely be how you interact with your boss.
Proper communication skills obviously come with time and observation, but you can also improve your skill set through reading. And whether picking up a fiction novel or a professional development book, you can learn a lot about communication through reading.
No matter what you're reading, it can benefit you, either professionally or personally. From romance books to how-to manuals, here's how reading can enhance your communication skills.
1. You'll Understand Different Points of View
Reading broadens your world perspective, opening your mind to a whole new point of view.
Third-person narration lets you experience what another person is thinking and feeling. You can better understand their thoughts and motivations. This can be life-changing for people who tend to be stuck within their own heads, maybe lost in their personal perspective. You get to see the world through someone else's eyes.
Novels also use this perspective, and you can often experience multiple characters' points of view in the same place. You can learn to differentiate what's actually true, which helps you to question perspectives that may be biased. Reading is a safe way to explore new viewpoints without the stress of awkward conversations. So without doubt, the more you read, the more your conversations will flow.
2. It Provides Topics of Conversation
Awkward silences can be intimidating, and reading often provides excellent conversation topics. You can ask someone whether they've read a book, and if they have, you can discuss your thoughts and feelings – and ask for their opinions. If they haven't, you can explain why they should and what made you like the book.
You can also share facts from the book. How you were surprised to learn something, so you did a bit more research. A book can be a good starting point if you need help to decide where to begin a conversation. Most people love sharing their opinions or learning something new, after all.
3. It Expands Your Knowledge
The best conversationalists are continuous learners. They consume media constantly to expand their worldviews and improve their knowledge. There's always something new to learn on their journey.
Books about history can provide conversation topics about how it applies to current events. Professional development books can provide new perspectives on approaching challenges at work. Even cookbooks can help you approach your store cupboard differently! And all you learn while reading, you can take forward.
As a bonus, you'll often expand your vocabulary while reading. If you don't understand a word, you can pick it up with context clues or look it up. And you'll feel confident in using your new vocabulary moving forward.
4. It Teaches You to Slow Down!
The world moves quickly, and our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. Reading forces us to slow down and focus. Because if you don't you'll miss important details, and you'll get lost.
As you slow down, you'll learn to observe. You'll start to watch and listen to others, both in the narrative and the world around you. Observing how others move in the world will affect your communication skills. That's because you can see what works for them and how others perceive them. So tuck these kernels of knowledge away for future use.
As you read, you learn to stay in the moment, which can translate into your daily life even when you're not reading.
5. It Reduces Stress
Studies suggest that just
reading six minutes a day can reduce stress. This is because as you read, your body starts to relax. Your muscles release tension, and your heart rate lowers. So you feel less anxious about the world around you. Instead, you're immersing yourself in what's in front of you.
When you're less stressed, you will communicate better. You won't feel as pressured to get everything out. Instead, you'll be able to take a measured approach. And because you can see the bigger picture, you'll be more able to support your point of view.
At work, reduced stress can
significantly improve performance. This is because you'll feel more confident when you present yourself to others, and this will be shown in your work.
Conclusion
Reading has many benefits in daily life. Whether you want to improve your workplace performance or strengthen your interpersonal relationships, it's a great way to broaden your perspective.
When you understand different points of view, you're more receptive to change and feedback. Because you read, you understand that you don't know everything, so you're willing to learn. It helps you slow down and be present in the moment instead of rushing to complete the next task.
Reading can also be calming, reducing stress in measurable ways. Many people want to improve their communication skills by “doing”, which is of course very useful. But passive skills like reading and observing will also make you a stronger communicator in the long term. To us, that sounds like it's worth trying out.
