What is Communication?
Communication is something we do every day through spoken word, written text and body language. It is how information is transferred from one person to another. Communication is the foundation for how we interact daily in our businesses and our lives. The words we use to communicate are important, but so are non-verbal cues such as, expressions, movement and signals.
In our day to day lives, communication allows us to share our experiences and our needs and in doing so helps us to connect with others and build relationships. In today’s workplace, communication skills are essential for success. Whether you are giving a presentation, leading a team, or negotiating a deal, communication skills will help you to achieve your goals. Employers and Managers can often be the cause of productivity related issues and team morale if their communication skills are ineffective.
So, how can we be effective in our communication?
1. Be clear and concise
Be clear about the purpose and objectives of your message. Make sure the message is easily understood. Stick to the point and make your intentions clear so that others do not have to rely on assumptions to work out what is being said. If the message is clear, then the person receiving the information will be able to act and respond accordingly.
2. Avoid assumptions
It’s easy to make assumptions. All you need is incomplete information about a situation. Ask yourself how you know something. If you didn’t learn it from evidence or factual information, you might be making an assumption. Assumptions can be destructive in relationships, leading to tension, conflict, and feelings of judgment or isolation. Asking questions and researching information helps you understand the situation and avoid making assumptions.
You can ask yourself questions like “Why am I thinking this way?” or “What else could be true?”. You can also try inversion thinking, which involves thinking of problems in reverse. You can ask questions to:
- Expand your view
- Examine the facts
- Challenge your assumptions
- Be self-aware
- Affirm your understanding
- Arrive at better conclusions
3. Listen actively and with empathy
Take the time to listen to someone’s point of view and consider where they are coming from. Active listening is a skill that involves paying close attention to what someone is saying and responding in a way that shows you understand. It is a key aspect of effective communication and can help avoid misunderstandings and conflict. Empathic listening is the practice of being attentive and responsive to others during a conversation. By listening with empathy, you can make an emotional connection with the other person and provide a more heartfelt, personal response.
4. Think before you speak
It is important to prepare before speaking. Your choice of words and tone can reveal a lot about you. Effective conversations are possible with advanced planning and preparation, formulating what you want to say and thinking about the outcome you want to achieve. There is a technique called THANKS which aims to assist in improving communication by thinking before you speak, so in essence what you say should be True, Helpful, Affirming, Necessary, Kind and Sincere.
5. Be aware of non-verbal communication
This is when communication happens through physical clues rather than words. Body language is an external signal of a person’s inner emotional state. It is the unspoken part of communication that we use to reveal our true feelings and to give our message more impact.
Positive body language is a way to convey interest, enthusiasm, and receptiveness through your posture, gestures, and facial expressions. It can help you make a good impression, feel more comfortable, and exchange ideas more easily.
Simple examples of body language are relaxed facial expressions that break out into a genuine smile, a smile can show you are friendly and approachable. Equally, hold the other person’s gaze for a few seconds at a time. Slightly tilting your head or sitting upright can convey that you are listening and interested. Nod to show you are focused on what the other person is saying. Take care to avoid negative body language by displaying a defensive, arms-crossed posture, fidgeting or by restlessly tapping your feet.
To Summarise
You can build strong relationships with your colleagues and superiors by communicating effectively. Those that are able to communicate effectively and are clear in their communication can help to deliver positive results in the workplace. Effective communication can help to reduce stress by resolving conflicts and preventing misunderstandings. It’s about respecting others (no matter what the differences are). Difficult conversations are essential for people to be able to move forward and carry on delivering great work.
If it is factual, respectful and you are mindful of the other person’s feelings, you can deliver ‘bad news’ or ‘negative feedback’ without progressing to a formal process such as a grievance or a disciplinary.
Communication is essential for effective teams and creates efficiencies by motivating employees, encouraging open dialogues, and fostering an environment of collaborative problem-solving. It’s not always easy to engage with your team members, but the rewards are well worth it.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash