Great communication is vital in helping you to develop and grow your career. It can help gain better understanding of the work you do, help others to understand your priorities, it can bring your team together and overall improve your work environment.
We've put together a few pointers to help you communicate more effectively.
Depending on your line of work, we sometimes have to explain complex things, including certain jargon and acronyms which over time creep into our vocabulary. It is important to remember to keep things simple when talking to others, especially if they work in a different department. Keep your messages clear and succinct so you don’t lose your audience’s attention and instead keep them engaged.
It is easy to race ahead in a conversation, or to assume you know all the answers. However you are not an island, and you will find people join you on your journey by taking some time to listen. By being open to suggestions, and listening to what the other person has to say, you could open up a valuable idea or insight that you hadn’t considered. Listen to what the person you are conversing with are saying, make eye contact and engage properly.
It can be useful to observe and learn from other effective communicators in the work place. Choose someone you respect/admire and observe what are they doing day to day that makes them stand out? Of course, stay true to yourself and your personality, but if you do see someone operating in a particular way that you think is effective and can identify with, then adapt yourself to act in a similar way.
This point is especially true for written communication. Occasionally there will be times when you may not agree with something someone has said, but before you hit reply, take a breath and review the situation. Check the tone in which you are writing in. Would you say it to someone face to face? If you have the time and an urgent reply isn’t required, then let the dust settle and send your message the next day.
Make sure you come across as open, warm and engaging. Be sure to make eye contact and smile. In meetings, for example, ensure your arms aren’t crossed as it may come across as defensive and even in more relaxed environments such as at lunch time, try not to get distracted by your mobile phone and give people your full attention.
Some people prefer face to face chats or picking up the phone. Some people like a bit more reflection time and enjoy written communication i.e. emailing. Think about the person you are engaging with and nudge your style to suit. One shoe doesn’t always fit all.
Be sure to check your grammar and spelling carefully. Whether you’re sending an email internally to a colleague or to a client or customer, double check how it reads. Similarly, if you are working on a major presentation or project, ask a colleague if they have 5 minutes to check it over too.
We hope you find these tips helpful. Be sure to let us know of any tips you find useful to communicate effectively at work on our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages.