What do you do if your colleagues criticize your communication skills?

Cultivate empathy towards your colleagues' perspectives. When receiving criticism about communication skills, it's easy to become defensive or dismissive. However, taking the time to understand where your colleagues are coming from can be enlightening. Ask yourself why they might perceive your communication in a certain way and try to see the situation from their point of view. This not only helps in addressing their concerns more effectively but also fosters better relationships and teamwork. By empathizing with their experiences, you can tailor, or at least fine-tune, your communication style to better suit their needs, ultimately improving overall collaboration and productivity within the team.

Consider the source. This sounds arrogant at first, but it's not. - Was it failed delivery, or defensive interpretation? Reflect on the message and ideas you presented. Oftentimes, we speak reactively without considering the environment and/or audience. Sometimes even the time of day affects how your message will come across. Think logically. Retreat, reflect, re-engage. Ask for opinions from those not directly impacted by your message and who are in a higher authority position. Effective communication is very rarely considered a 'natural talent'. Give yourself grace, and practice patience.

Keep an open mind and try to understand why your colleagues perceive you this way. Directly ask them for examples and how they would have handled the situation if they were in your shoes. Constructive criticism is actually a positive thing! It provides us with the opportunity to grow. Replace defensiveness with genuine curiosity.

If your colleagues criticize your communication skills, it's an opportunity for growth rather than a setback. First, adopt a growth mindset; view feedback as a chance to enhance your abilities. Engage in active listening to understand their perspectives fully. Then, seek specific examples to pinpoint areas for improvement. Consider asking for constructive suggestions on how to enhance clarity, tone, or delivery. Try to understand other perspectives will contribute to crafting effective communication, remember, effective communication is not just about conveying information but also about building relationships and fostering understanding.

Remember: Communication isn't learned overnight; it's a skill that you develop and continue to hone. Some people have a natural aptitude for it, while some others need to acquire and practice it. So, first things first: 1. Don't assume you know best. Acceptance is key to accepting change. 2. Listen and learn where the gap exists. 3. Act on bridging the gap by asking questions. 4. Talk to your trusted circle about it. 5. Be patient and kind to yourself while learning. There's merit in clarity and confidence, but only as long as you're not being overly arrogant about it.

When feedback isn't clear, ask for specifics to understand the critique better. Is it about tone, clarity, or message structure? Seeking clarity demonstrates openness to improvement and willingness to discuss performance. It clears misunderstandings and offers actionable insights for better communication skills.

Plut?t que d’attendre des clarifications, prends les devants en organisant des sessions de feedback avec tes collègues. Cela montre ton engagement envers l’amélioration et facilite une discussion ouverte sur des points spécifiques. Par exemple, si la critique porte sur ton style de communication dans les réunions, demande des exemples précis et ce qu’ils suggèreraient pour améliorer la situation.

If the feedback isn't clear, ask for specific examples. Knowing when and how your communication didn't meet expectations can provide actionable insights. You could ask, "Could you give me an example of when you felt my emails were unclear? It will help me understand better and improve."

After reflection and seeking clarity, create an improvement plan. Identify growth areas and set realistic goals. Improve public speaking or email writing skills with specific actions and timelines. Utilize workshops, books, or mentors for support in enhancing communication.

If colleagues criticize your communication skills, approach the feedback constructively. Listen attentively to understand their specific concerns and perspectives. Reflect on the feedback and identify areas for improvement. Seek additional training or mentorship opportunities to enhance your communication skills. Practice active listening, empathy, and clarity in your communication to address any perceived weaknesses and build stronger relationships with your colleagues.

I think keeping a timeline and progress checklist would be helpful when making a plan to improve skills. This will make sure that you dedicate the set time to improve and seeing the progress can motivate you to continue.

établis des points de contr?le réguliers pour évaluer ton progrès. Peut-être pourrais-tu tenir un journal où tu notes les retours positifs ainsi que les domaines nécessitant encore des améliorations. Sois ouvert à ajuster ton plan d’amélioration en fonction de ce qui fonctionne le mieux, ce qui témoigne d’une véritable adaptation et croissance.

Enhancing a skill, particularly communication, goes beyond a single training session—it's an ongoing journey. Regularly engage in activities like presentations or public speaking events to hone this skill. Such opportunities not only boost your confidence but also provide valuable feedback for continuous improvement.

Managing comms for a business is totally different to personal communication - it's strategic and planned and thorough. Personal communication doesn't always allow for the same level of thoughtful processing, and that means you can struggle with interpersonal comms while still managing the comms for the business just fine. Individuals have different perspectives and backgrounds and brains, just being aware and accepting can go a long way. Golden rule: never attribute to malice what could better be explained by a lack of knowledge!