20 Bite-Sized Tips to Improve Your Communication Skills [Infographic]

Babies start to say their first words around their first birthday. The age when we master the art of communication? Err ... That takes a little longer.

As we get older and our vocabularies get larger, the potential for miscommunication and misunderstanding multiplies exponentially. The exact same words can carry drastically different meaning depending on the speaker's tone, body language, facial expression, and the context in which they're uttered.

Making sure your message is received as intended requires building fundamental communication skills. The following infographic from Net Credit contains 20 guidelines for effective communication at work. Learn to perfect not only your word choice, but also hone your listening skills, body language, and preparation process -- all essential components of good communication.