“Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity.”
-Nat Turner
Communication is important.
This is a fact that I suspect no one will argue. We all know at some base level that good communication is essential. The presence (or lack) of good communication can be incredibly impactful within the workplace.
You’ve probably felt the reassurance and understanding that can come when someone you work with clearly articulates their expectations, ideas, or feelings on a mutual topic or project. You’ve likely also experienced the chaos and frustration that comes from a lack of clear direction.
As a leader, you owe it to your team members to continuously improve your communication skills.
Practical Tips For Enhancing Your Communication:
- Identify Your Purpose:
Time is valuable. Each and every person on your team has tasks and agenda items for which they are responsible for completing. Their time deserves to be respected, just as yours does. In other words, before you take up someone’s time with a scheduled meeting, phone call, or long email that requires a response, ask yourself:
- What is the purpose of this communication?
- Is this (meeting, phone call, email, etc.) truly important, meaningful, and essential?
- Be Clear & Concise In Your Message:
If you ever spent an hour (or more) in a meeting discussing content that could have easily been covered in an email, you’ll understand the importance of being clear and concise in your communication.
Here are a few tips:- Cut out unnecessary details. If it doesn’t need to be said, don’t say it.
- Get to the point. Fifteen minutes of small talk or five paragraphs of rambling stories before you get to the crux of your message isn’t usually helpful.
- Clearly articulate your desired response. If you expect your audience to respond to your email, fill out a Google form, or offer feedback in a meeting, tell them.
- Save Important Matters for Face to Face Conversations: Important conversations are best had face to face. If you can meet in person, great! If not, schedule a video call. With today’s technology, there truly is no excuse for relegating important conversations to emails or text messages.
Now I know what you may be wondering…
“How do I know if the information I need to share is important enough for an in-person conversation?”
Here are a few key indicators:
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- You are offering constructive criticism to an individual person.
- You have significant news to share (job promotions, changes in management, etc.)
- The information you have to share will greatly impact the work that is being done.
- Don’t Just Speak – Listen.
If you’re familiar with Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, you’ve likely heard the phrase, “Seek first to understand.” Communication is a two-way street. It can be easy to want to discuss your agenda and priorities. But don’t forget an essential component of communication: listening.Remember, there are two voices in every conversation. In addition to sharing your message, be sure to pause and truly listen to the response.
Listening involves more than hearing words – it’s about understanding the meaning behind the words and being authentically curious about the other person.
- Ask Questions:
Asking thoughtful questions involves the other person or parties. A few of the right questions can make the difference between a lecture and a conversation. Asking shows your interest and ensures that both people end the conversation on the same page.
When asking questions, remember, the goal is inquiry, not interrogation. In the book, Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, author Marliee Adams offers tips for strategic and meaningful questioning.
If you’ve been struggling with your communication and would like to troubleshoot your communication strategy, please sign up for a FREE STRATEGY CALL. Together we can discuss your current approach to communication and brainstorm some ideas for more effective communication.
Article was contributed by: Maria Lees, Team Writer with Sarah Boxx
