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Repeatedly, we hear about the importance of effective
communication in the workplace.Nonetheless, communicating clearly,
both verbally and in writing, and doing so with sensitivity to
others, remains a difficult skill to master.
For leaders, a continuous improvement approachto communication
skills development is essential. Placing value on this
interpersonalattribute also demonstrates its importance toyour
team. Here are some simple ways tostrengthen your interactions
within your workplace:
View communication as role modeling.When it comes to
communication, it isimportant to lead by example. When writingmemos
or emails, make certain you use correct grammar and spelling. If
this is notyour strong suit, ask someone with goodproofreading
skills to review these itemsbefore distribution. When speaking or
writ-ing, avoid using slang terms or language thatyou would prefer
your employees avoid (ifyou swear, they will swear, etc.). You set
the tone for what is and is not appropriatecommunication within
your workplace.
Consider which modality to use. Today,there are many modes of
communication at your disposal email, voice mail,
phoneconversation, team meeting, text, face-to-face interactions,
etc. Modalities matter. Forexample, announcements that will have
asubstantive impact on an entire team are bestdelivered in a
meeting, which affords peoplethe opportunity to ask questions and
offer
comments. Obviously, concerns about performance issues and other
sensitive information are best handled one-on-one andprivately.
Written communication (includingemail) is often helpful in
providing opera-tional or technical information or instruc-tions.
Any message with emotional contentor the potential for creating
confusion on thepart of the recipient usually calls for
verbalcommunication. Weve all experienced howeasy it is to read
emotional tone into emails,such as an impertinent attitude that was
notintended by the sender.
Consider your audience. When you aredeciding how to approach a
conversation or
1-800-367-74741-800-367-7474
mylifematters.commylifematters.com
Communication: A Key to Leadership
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compose an email, try putting yourselfin the place of the
recipient(s). Forexample, when speaking to a customer,it is likely
you would avoid using technical or industry-specific terms thatyou
know are beyond that individuals comprehension. The same rule
appliesto communication with employees. Tailor your message to the
knowledgeand experience of the person to whomyou are speaking or
writing. With written communication, it sometimeshelps to read it
to yourself out loud orhave a trusted colleague look it overbefore
sending.
Keep it simple. Focus on using clear,simple language to make
your point.Look for ways to boil down complex ortechnical concepts
into understandableterminology, and use metaphors, analo-gies or
anecdotes to illustrate your mainpoint. Given the amount of
informationthe average employee receives each day,it is important
to employ an economy ofwords. People will appreciate that. Lessis
more.
Choose your words carefully. Remem-ber that emotion-driven or
impulsivemessages can easily engender backlash,gossip and rumors,
so think carefullyabout how you package your informa-tion. As a
general rule, if you are upset,take a timeout before deciding
how,when and in what way to deliver your message. In the realm of
verbalcommunication, if you are addressing a difficult subject,
consider preparingtalking points that can guide your partof the
interaction.
Be aware of body language and tone of voice. When conversing
face-to-face, people react more to your bodylanguage and verbal
tone than they doto the meanings of the words you use. Ifyou appear
tense, nervous or distracted,people may think these behaviors
reflecthow you feel about them. Your messagewill be much more
effective if youremain focused on the other person,maintain
periodic eye contact, and truly listen to what she or he has to
say. When attending presentations, stayfocused on the speaker. If
you appearrestless or distracted, your team willtake that as
permission to stop payingattention as well.
Listen. Its not uncommon for managersto be the last to know when
a problemarises. Often, this is because employeesare reluctant to
put themselves at riskby owning up to mistakes or bringingproblems
to your attention. While it isimportant to maintain an open
door
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policy and encourage employees to talkto you about their
concerns, keep inmind that you may learn more fromindirect
conversations and casual inter-actions than from direct
discussions.Listening is a key skill for anyone inbusiness, but it
becomes of increasingvalue the higher you move up the managerial
ladder. To be effective inone-to-one conversations, encourage
the
other person to do most of the talking.You learn more and it
builds rapportwith your employees.
Communicate, or else. Employees willpay attention to what you do
say, butthey will also pay attention to what youdont say. When
employees recognize or
How Do I Say ThatIf one of your direct reports is
havingdifficulty meeting appropriate stan-dards for communication
within yourworkplace, consider these tips:
Document. Compile examples of theemployees inappropriate written
orverbal communication. Consider ifthe problem is something that
mightbe addressed through training oreducation or if the difficulty
is related to behavior or demeanor(such as using inappropriate
oraggressive language).
Consult with Human Resources.Talk to HR about your concerns
andthe impact it is having on both inter-nal and external
customers. Investi-gate what resources the organizationmay provide
for improvement. Youmay also want to consult with theLifeMatters
Management Consulta-tion Service.
Schedule a private meeting. Sitdown with the employee to
discussyour concerns and their impact. Forexample: Ive noticed a
lot of spellingerrors in your emails. I am concernedthat your
correspondence with customers may have the same errors and create a
poor impression.
Listen to the employees response.In this example, the errors may
be aresult of discomfort with software or unfamiliarity with
technical terminology. Ask where the employee feels he or she needs
more assistance and, if so, determinethe best way to provide
necessarytraining or support.
Make a referral to LifeMatters byEmpathia. If communication
errorsindicate a drop in performance orengagement, consider making
a performance referral to LifeMatters.LifeMatters can also assist
withaddressing personal issues that may be disrupting the
employeesperformance.
Follow up. Periodically meet withthe employee to discuss his or
herprogress and areas in need of contin-ued improvement. If
performanceexpectations are still not being met,talk to Human
Resources aboutappropriate next steps. Consult withHR before taking
any disciplinaryaction.
The LifeMatters Management Consulta-tion Service is available to
provide coach-ing and assistance with a variety of
man-agement-related concerns. Call anytime.
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believe that you are withholding information, they will make up
theirown version of what is going on . . . and it will usually be
incomplete or justplain wrong. Give as much informationas is
reasonable and appropriate. In thiscase, more is more.
Dont make promises you cant keep.Before you make a commitment to
yourteam, be certain that you intend to makegood on your promise.
Also, keep inmind that the only thing that under-mines a teams
faith in its leader fasterthan a broken promise is a lie (or
whatthey perceive to be a lie). If you cantanswer a question, dont
make some-thing up either say I dont know or I am unable to discuss
that at thistime, depending upon which responseis most
appropriate.
Solve problems. Good communication
is a key aspect of problem solving.When someone presents a
concern, lis-ten carefully, ask questions, and discusspossible
solutions. Being perceived as aperson that others can turn to when
dif-ficulties arise is an important leadershipquality, and creating
this perceptionrequires being a good communicatorand, even more so,
a good listener.
Being an effective communicator is asimportant to leadership
success as main-taining your technical skills and businessacumen.
The LifeMatters by EmpathiaManagement Consultation Service is
avail-able to provide coaching and assistancewith improving these
skills and becoming astronger leader. In addition, the
followingbooks may be of interest:
Mastering Communication at Work: Howto Lead, Manage, and
Influence by EthanF. Becker and Jon Wortmann, McGraw-Hill, 2009
Improving Communication in the Workplace by Timothy F. Bednarz,
Majorium Business Press, 2011
The Hard Truth About Soft Skills: Workplace Lessons Smart People
WishThey'd Learned Sooner by Peggy Klaus,HarperBusiness, 2008
Editor:Denise Delvis
Design Team: Philip ChardCarol Wilson
Maribeth Kalmer
Published quarterly by Empathia, Inc.
2014 Empathia, Inc.All rights reserved.
14-3 EP
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Language assistance services in your preferred spoken and
writtenlanguages are available at no cost by calling
1-800-367-7474.