Good communication skills are important to architects because they need to be able to describe their ideas for a project in self-explanatory terms to people who might not understand the technical concepts involved. If you do not naturally possess this talent or do not pick it up in architecture school, there are still ways you can develop and improve it.

• Maintain Eye Contact – Looking for a few seconds at a time into the eyes of the person with whom you are speaking shows that you are interested in that person and the topic at hand. It also gives others confidence to ask any questions they might have.
• Develop Your Voice – Speak clearly enough to be heard. Slow down your rate of speech, which gives the impression of confidence and calmness. Vary the tone and pitch of your voice to avoid monotony.
• Watch Your Body Language – Keep an open, approachable stance and posture by standing straight with your arms relaxed at your sides or moving your hands in gestures as much or as little as needed to match the topic at hand. Standing hunched over with crossed arms gives the impression of boredom or unwillingness to communicate.
• Make Sure You Listen – Listening well is just as important in communication as speaking, to be sure you are aware of the other person’s ideas or concerns about the project. Pay attention to what others are saying by avoiding distracting thoughts and mentally repeating to yourself what they just said. Allow others to finish what they have to say without interruption. Show you are listening by nodding, smiling, and maintaining good eye contact. Provide appropriate feedback by asking clarifying questions or paraphrasing what was just said.
• Practice – Rehearsing your speaking skills with other people or even in front of a mirror can make you more aware of how you actually appear to others. Studying a dictionary or thesaurus can also help you find understandable terms to use when talking about technical issues.