Shadowing Practice: Communication Skills at Work: 4 Key Tips | Indeed Career Tips - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Hi everybody and welcome.
2
My name is Jen and I'm a career coach at Indeed with over 10 years of experience in career services.
3
Over the years I've worked with hundreds of job seekers from a variety of different industries.
4
Today I'm going to share some advice with you that I've refined over the years for how to improve communication skills.
5
Strong communication skills can help in all aspects of life from personal relationships to education and professional success.
6
We'll discuss four important questions that will help you improve your communication skills including How do I sound?
7
What does my body language say about me?
8
Where am I looking?
9
Why is listening an important part of communication?
10
At the end of the video, we'll discuss key tips for when to ask questions if somebody else is speaking, so be sure to stick around.
11
Communication skills are vital to just about any role in any organization, and it's a useful skill both in and out of the workplace.
12
If you're a professional, it's likely you'll need to learn how to communicate well with your peers.
13
The bottom line is that everyone can benefit from making efforts to be a strong communicator.
14
Today, we're going to focus on improving your verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
15
A good first step is to establish a baseline understanding of how you're currently communicating.
16
To do this, consider recording yourself speaking.
17
A video recording can be the most helpful because you'll be able to evaluate how you're communicating both verbally and nonverbally.
18
Now that we've established that everyone should work to be an effective communicator, Let's talk about the questions that you can ask yourself every day to make sure that you're communicating effectively.
19
Question one, how do I sound?
20
When communicating verbally, aim to use a voice that is audible and confident.
21
I know this can be a challenge.
22
The fear of public speaking is a very common phobia, and it can be hard to sound confident if you aren't feeling that way.
23
But how your message is delivered can impact how your message is received by the audience.
24
So let's walk through the key elements of sound.
25
First, let's address how to sound confident and relaxed.
26
People who speak with confidence are effective communicators because people often are more inclined to believe someone who speaks confidently.
27
Consider using relaxation techniques like taking deep breaths and actively releasing tension in your shoulders.
28
Also, watch out for filler words like um, uh, and like that tend to creep into our language unintentionally.
29
While it may feel natural to use one after completing a sentence to pause to collect your thoughts, it can be distracting for your audience and undermine the appearance of certainty in what you're saying.
30
To work on replacing these words, try taking a deep breath when you need to pause to gather your thoughts
31
or when you find that you're looking to transition to your next point.
32
Another important element of speaking is speed.
33
It's common for nerves to make you have a fast pace when you start speaking, but it's really easy to correct.
34
Start by just being aware of your pace.
35
If you notice you're speaking quickly, pause once you've completed your sentence, take a slow, deep breath, and then start your next sentence paying attention to keeping an even pace.
36
Remember that people will take longer to process what you're saying because the information will will be new to them.
37
In general, speak a touch more slowly than may feel natural to you.
38
If you want to get technical about assessing your speed, a good range of speech tends to be between 140 to 160 words per minute.
39
You can calculate your words per minute by recording yourself naturally reading a script
40
and seeing how many words you get through in one minute.
41
Before I move on, please let me know
42
if this video is helpful by liking and subscribing for more career and job search advice.
43
Alright, the next question you can ask yourself to improve your communication skills is, where am I looking?
44
Eye contact is a key part of nonverbal communication.
45
Something as simple as making eye contact while speaking can help to improve your communication skills.
46
Making eye contact helps build a connection with the person or audience you're speaking to, but where to look when speaking can vary depending on the environment.
47
If you're presenting, you'll want to practice making eye contact with people in different
48
areas of the room to engage the whole audience practicing in an empty room, pick different points on the wall on the left,
49
middle, and right side of the room at the eye level which you think your audience will be at.
50
Practice shifting your focus to these different points to mimic making eye contact with different members of your audience.
51
If you're speaking at a meeting or in a one-on-one setting, be sure to have your head raised and make eye contact with the person you're speaking with.
52
When you're in a video meeting, try to look at the camera instead of looking at the person's face.
53
Looking directly at the camera mimics making eye contact.
54
Moving on, let's talk about why listening is an important part of communication.
55
As you've likely picked up on by now, being an effective communicator means more than just speaking confidently and clearly.
56
A vital part of communication is listening and making someone feel heard.
57
Active listening is a technique where people use verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to become a better listener.
58
Improving your active listening skills helps you to communicate better with others when conducting a meeting, presentation, or even when participating in a one-on-one conversation.
59
Try these simple techniques to improve your listening skills.
60
Paraphrase, summarize the main points of the message the speaker shared to show you care about fully understanding their meaning.
61
This will also give the speaker an opportunity to clarify vague information and expand their message.
62
This can be especially effective in conflict resolution.
63
For example, if you're not seeing eye to eye with someone, try using your own words to state what you think the other person meant.
64
Start by using phrases like, I hear you saying, or so I believe you are saying.
65
This helps the other person know that you have heard them
66
and do or do not understand what they are trying to say.
67
If you are resolving a conflict, consider including any emotion that you feel in the other person's message.
68
Using phrases like, it sounds like you feel, or I believe that you feel, can confirm the other person's feelings in the context of the discussion,
69
and might help them to move on and pursue constructive solutions to the conflict.
70
Display empathy.
71
If the situation requires it, make sure the speaker understands you're able to recognize their emotions and share their feelings.
72
By showing compassion, rather than just feeling it, you're able to connect with the speaker and begin to establish a sense of mutual trust.
73
An example might be, I'm so sorry that you're dealing with this problem.
74
Let's figure out some ways in which I can help.
75
Share similar experiences.
76
Discussing comparable situations will not only show the speaker you've successfully interpreted their message, but it can help them to relate to you.
77
If the speaker has shared a problem, providing input from how you solve similar challenges is valuable to others.
78
For example, you could share, I had a tough time getting started with this program too, but it does get much easier.
79
After just a few weeks, I felt completely comfortable using all of its new features.
80
Recall previously shared information.
81
Make efforts to remember key concepts, ideas, and other critical points the speaker has shared with you in the past.
82
Doing so demonstrates that you're not only listening to what they're currently saying, but you're able to retain information and recall specific details.
83
For example, you might say, last week you mentioned adding a more senior coordinator to help with this account, and I think that's a great idea.
84
Smile and nod.
85
Offering the speaker a few simple nods shows you understand what they're saying.
86
A nod is a helpful, supportive cue, and it doesn't necessarily communicate that you agree with the the speaker, only that you're able to process the meaning of their message.
87
Like a nod, a small smile encourages the speaker to continue.
88
However, unlike the nod, it communicates you agree with their message or you're happy about what they have to say.
89
For more information on active listening, be sure to check out this career guide article.
90
And now as a bonus, let's talk about when to ask questions.
91
If you're listening to someone speak, please wait until they've finished speaking to start asking any questions.
92
You want to avoid interrupting them mid-speech as this can be disruptive to the conversation.
93
This is the best practice that's applicable if you're in a presentation, small group, or even a one-on-one conversation.
94
When it's the appropriate time to ask questions, aim to ask open-ended questions that gather more information and ensure that the speaker feels heard.
95
Make sure that these questions cannot be answered with the simple yes or no. For example, if someone is asking to make changes to a process,
96
instead of just asking, is there something wrong with the current process?
97
Try asking.
98
You've brought up some really interesting points.
99
What changes would you want to make to the process immediately?
100
And what are some potential long-term improvements?
101
If someone is sharing details about a broad subject or topic, you can ask direct questions
102
that guide the speaker to provide more details about the information they shared or to narrow down the topic.
103
For example, if someone on your team shares that they're feeling overworked, you could ask for more specific information by saying, tell me more about your current workload.
104
Which of these projects is the most time consuming?
105
Asking questions that allow the person you're speaking with to provide more context signals to them
106
that you value their opinion and you want to hear more.
107
So there you have it.
108
As a recap, to improve your communication skills, ask yourself these four questions.
109
How do I sound?
110
What does my body language say about me?
111
Where am I looking?
112
And why is listening an important part of communication?
113
And finally, be sure to ask open-ended questions when you want to gather more information and let the audience feel heard.
114
For more tips about how you can improve your communication skills, be sure to check out this career guide article right here.
115
I hope that you find these tips to be helpful as you start to assess and improve your communication skills.
116
I think that you'll find that once you start paying attention to your tone of voice, if you're making eye contact, and if you're actively listening to others, your communication skills will greatly improve.
117
Most of all, if you're feeling bogged down in the details of this advice, aim to just focus on what you're trying to say and why you believe it's important.
118
If you thought that this video was helpful, please share it with others.
119
And if you'd like to see more videos like this, be sure to like and subscribe and hit the notification bell to stay updated.
120
Thank you so much for watching.
121
We'll see you next time.
📺 Same Channel
B21
How to Write a Cover Letter That Actually Gets Read | Indeed
Interview EnglishWorking Adults
B23
Best Networking Tips: How to Make a Connection | Indeed
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
C12
Nursing Interview Questions Hiring Managers Actually Ask | Indeed
Interview EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B13
A Day in the Life of an Electrician | Indeed
Business EnglishInterview EnglishHigh School Students
B21
A Day in the Life of a Physical Therapist | Indeed
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B26
How to Ace an Entry Level Interview | Mock Job Interviews | Indeed Career Tips
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B12
Video Interview Example: A Step-by-Step Guide for Virtual Success | Indeed
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
✨ Recommend Video
B27
512 sentences
become ARTICULATE and SPEAK SMARTLY - effective communication 101
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B23
157 sentences
CALL CENTER Interview Questions & ANSWERS! (How to PASS a Call Centre Job Interview!)
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B24
204 sentences
Stop Looking for a Speaking Partner! Do This Instead
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B24
128 sentences
Give me 8 minutes, and I'll improve your communication skills by 88%...
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B22
71 sentences
How to make small talk so fun, it's hard to end the conversation
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B24
73 sentences
Sound More Professional in English | 5 Phrases for Difficult Conversations
American AccentBusiness EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B13
130 sentences
10 Minutes to Improve English Listening Skills - Practice English Conversations
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B22
253 sentences
Social Skills Everyone Should Know
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
389 sentences
How to Sound Instantly Confident in English
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B25
154 sentences
The #1 Skill That Multiplies Every Other Skill
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B23
78 sentences
Active Listening Skills
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
Master Workplace Communication: Key Speaking Goals from the Video
This video targets fluency milestones like confident verbal delivery, nonverbal engagement, and active listening—critical for professional success. Whether you’re prepping for IELTS speaking practice or aiming to excel in workplace interactions, these tips focus on clarity, connection, and control. By addressing tone, pace, and eye contact, you’ll learn to communicate with authority, making it a valuable resource for english speaking practice.
Phrase Bank: Reusable Expressions for Professional Settings
- "establish a baseline understanding"
- "undermine the appearance of certainty"
- "transition to your next point"
- "mimic making eye contact"
- "build a connection with the audience"
These phrases are perfect for meetings, presentations, or learn english with youtube sessions—practice them aloud to refine your professional vocabulary.
Fix Your Weak Spots: Pronunciation, Rhythm, and Nonverbal Cues
The video zeroes in on common issues like filler words ("um," "uh"), fast speech, and poor eye contact. To tackle filler words, try pausing and taking deep breaths instead—this improves rhythm and makes you sound more confident. For pace, aim for 140–160 words per minute (record yourself to check!). If you’re using a shadowing app or shadowspeak technique, mimic the speaker’s steady pace to build muscle memory. Eye contact is another fix: practice shifting focus to different "audience points" in a room to engage listeners, a skill that translates to both in-person and virtual settings. These proven coaching techniques will transform your communication from nervous to natural, whether you’re speaking in English or preparing for a career milestone.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If you're a professional, it's likely you'll need · If you're presenting, you'll want |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've worked · I've refined · we've established |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is delivered · is speed · cannot be answered |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.