Small Business Tips
Seeking to improve your relationships with colleagues or make more sales by cultivating stronger customer-vendor relationships? From writing e-mails to practicing active listening skills, the following guidelines can help you improve how you communicate in business.
How do I effectively communicate in the workplace?
If you work in collaboration with other people, practicing effective speaking and listening skills can help you handle or even avoid conflicts. It can also make your workplace a more harmonious, productive place to work. Here are eight tips that can help you cultivate practical communication skills in the workplace.
1. Be clear
Whether you are relating to someone else in person, by e-mail, or over the phone, state your goal at the start of the conversation. By doing this, you increase the chances that you will be heard. Think of introductory phrases like, "the reason I'm calling you is …" or "the purpose of this e-mail is to confirm that …"
2. Avoid absolutes
Professional relationships can get heated. If you're feeling frustrated, it's a good idea to avoid starting sentences with sweeping statements such as "You always do this," or "You never take the time to …" These types of accusations are likely to make the other person defensive, ruining your chances of having a productive discussion. Similarly, you should avoid exaggerating in moments of frustration. An example of this may include accusing someone of "always being late" when they've only been late a few times. Making generalizations will only cause the other person to argue with you. As a result, you'll only find yourself in an argument that makes it impossible for you to achieve your initial goal.
3. Don't speak for other people
In other words, speak in the first person to relay your personal feelings and experiences. Speaking from a position of authority, rather than based on a series of assumptions, is inherently more effective. For example, if you're dealing with someone who is always late for meetings, don't say, "When you're late for meetings, you waste everyone's time." Instead, focus on how the other person's lateness affects you. A response can sound something like, "When you're late, it makes it difficult for me because it means I have to rearrange the meeting's agenda, which makes me feel stressed." This strategy will also prevent you from speaking on behalf of other people, which can make the person you are talking to feel bullied.
4. Practice active listening
A great way to practice active listening is to focus on non-verbal cues. One way means doing things such as nodding your head to show that you agree with what the other person is saying. You can also lean forward to display your interest. If you are under critical scrutiny, avoid building your counter-argument in your head while the other person is still talking. Doing this will prevent you from hearing everything they have to say.
5. Ask questions
As the listener, it can be helpful to ensure you hear the message accurately. If something isn't understandable, ask questions that will help shed light on what the speaker is saying.
6. Confirm what you understand
By using your own words to rephrase your understanding of what the other person is communicating, you'll show that you have been listening and that you get the message. Granted, this doesn't have to mean that you agree, but it shows that you are receptive. For example, if someone is accusing you of being late for meetings, you can reply, "So what I'm hearing is, when I'm late for meetings, it creates more work for you and that makes your job harder." A response like this is also a crucial aspect of active listening and communicating effectively.
