Tips for Effective Communication

Becoming a skillful communicator is rarely taught. Ask most people what the key is to a healthy relationship and their answer will almost certainly be ‘communication’. Nothing hurts a company more than the disconnect between seniors and their subordinates.

From our earliest days we learn to focus on enunciation, vocabulary, presence, delivery, grammar, syntax – or at least we ought to be focused on these at school. But it is the more subtle elements of communication which are rarely taught in the classroom. And it is vital for all of us to spend time learning how to communicate with others.

Most of us spend the overwhelming majority of our time in some type of an interpersonal situation. We all know most organizational problems occur as a result of poor communications. It is precisely this paradox that underscores the need for us all, whether we are owners of an enterprise, a member of the C Suite, a director, senior manager, supervisor or a grunt, to focus on becoming much better at communicating. Effective communication is an essential component of professional success whether it is at the interpersonal, intra-group, inter-group, enterprise or external level.

 Successful communicators have a heightened sense of situational and contextual awareness. The best communicators are great listeners and astute in their observations; they are skilled at reading a situation, sensing the moods, dynamics, attitudes, values and concerns of those around them. Not only do these people read their environment well, they also possess the ability to adapt their messaging to different environments, matching contextual factors to the situation, without missing a breath.

Effective communication is a key tool to achieving enterprise-success. Communication between management and employees is the foundation of a positive, healthy and productive enterprise culture.

Communicating the message is not only about the messenger; it has to do with the messenger but it is also much more about meeting the needs and the expectations of others. Meeting the needs and expectations of others means you need to ensure you: respect your people; are honest and exhibit integrity; and you listen well.       

Often it is as simple as saying, ‘please’ or ‘excuse me’ and definitely ‘thank you’. Courtesy is as important as being consistent and believable. Be clear about what you want to communicate and check-back ensuring others understand the message; communication with verification is vital. If you think you are ‘over-communicating’ – don’t worry because the harm of under-communicating is usually much greater than the harm of over-communicating.

When preparing for any communication ensure you have accurate and complete information. Ensure you communicate in a timely matter; there’s nothing worse than people finding out bad news (or indeed good news) from social media, their coffee breaks or by the water-cooler rather than hearing it from you. And make sure you are communicating with all the right people. So often poor communication in enterprises comes down to the wrong message being shared with the wrong people at the wrong time.

You need to know what your employees are thinking and feeling in order to address their concerns. These people are closest to day-to-day operations and have much understanding and knowledge which will give you great insights for making decisions. So often we think we know what other people know. But we assume things. The likelihood of knowing is actually pretty small. The more perceptively and harder you listen, the more probing your questions will be and the higher the likelihood of solving issues.

In the first instance employees will almost certainly be hesitant to talk to you because they do not know if their conversation might get them in trouble or just be a waste of time - not triggering an effect-result. You need to act, address the situations discussed with your employees and reward your employees when they give you their much-needed input.

Being able to talk to the boss sets the tone for feeling confident and secure in talking to fellow employees as well; the more team members who collaborate with each other ensures teams will become stronger. No matter what, always keep an open-door policy with your employees. Make them feel like they can come to you to discuss anything. This also opens the floor for them to be honest with you about things they are happy or excited about without you having to draw the information out of them.

Employees who are experiencing their issues being addressed, and their concerns being heard, will be much more likely to continue to be part of the fabric of the enterprise and will certainly put in extra work to turn negative situations around. They will also be more patient and accepting of constructive criticism.

Be a generative and reflective listener and try hard to communicate face to face. Phone calls are more personal then emails if you are really pushed for time or distance is a problem. Emails are a great way to schedule a time to talk, and also easily keep a record of the issues at hand, as well as a timeline of when and how they are addressed. Most importantly, just keep listening and act on what you hear.