Excellent communication skills can make an enormous difference to your career. But how do you go about improving your skills in this area?

The best place to start is simply by listening and watching. Observing how others in your office interact with colleagues and management is a great way of gaining a better understanding of what works in your company. Once you have this understanding, try to replicate it and practise it in your day-to-day life both at work and in your leisure time.

Another way to improve your interpersonal skills is to always try to remain positive, even when it is hard as it is important not to allow negativity to encroach on your interactions at work. Always try to remain calm and find the positive aspects of any situation.

Emotions and empathy are important in the workplace, but it is even more important that you have control over them. Whether you are irritated or happy, always try to express yourself in a calm and patient manner.

Everyone wants to be appreciated so showing that you recognise and appreciate their talents is an effective way of building trust with co-workers. Our lives are much more than our work so getting to know more about your colleagues develops and solidifies your relationships, giving you a better understanding of them as a person.