Do you feel that your contributions as of late merit a raise in your salary but the thought of negotiation leaves you feeling nervous, hesitant, or overwhelmed? Negotiating a salary raise can be a nerve-wracking experience. It requires you to step up and advocate for yourself with confidence. Although even the top performers in a company find the negotiation conversation challenging, the possible outcomes are a yes, a no, or an unknown because it was avoided altogether out of fear.

Communication is such a big part of our daily lives and especially our career. We communicate all day, every day with our peers, people we’ve just met, our family and friends, and colleagues in the workplace. Great leaders have one thing in common: effective communication skills. In order to lead people well and achieve your business or career goals, learning to effectively communicate is necessary. And while this can take some practice, there are many different tricks and tips to help you become an effective communicator. Effective communication in the workplace is a key skill for success, both in the current role that you hold and the role that you want to get to. But no matter where you are, effective communication comes with practice.

Reflect for a moment—who do you get along with best at work? It’s probably with the colleagues you are in sync with and find them easy to talk to. This is what rapport is all about. Rapport is what we experience in relationships that are harmonious, full of empathy, and have a foundation of strong collaboration and communication.