ENGAGE | Communication Skills
10 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills
Effective communication is vital for any successful leader, enabling them to delegate tasks successfully and clearly convey company goals.
A US survey of 2,000 workers found that employees who trust their leadership have more frequent communications than those that do not. Experts also state that proper communication can help improve employee performance.
However, not everyone is a naturally effective communicator. In fact, most people suffer from poor communication skills. Here are 10 simply tips that can lead to improved communication.
- Listening is the key
One of the first steps to effective communication skills is to listen. Listening isn’t just about taking on board what the other person is saying; it is about understanding them. Through effective listening, you can determine how the other person thinks and reacts to certain circumstances, guiding you to adjust your style to better engage them.
At the same time, people like to listen to those that listen to them. Therefore, demonstrating that you are listening can be beneficial in getting your employees to hear what you have to say.
- Ask the Right Questions
Questions are a fundamental part of our language and communication, and one question is likely to lead to another. Your workers will be more confident with a solution, if questions are freely encouraged. It can also help to ask yourself what questions you would ask if you were in your employees’ position. This is particularly important in times of change or uncertainty.
- Communicate With Stories
Another way to clearly communicate with your employees is to tell a story. Audiences, whoever they may be, are more receptive to narratives than to simple instructions or tips. People listen to stories, become emotionally engaged and remember them well.
- Watch Your Body Language
Every movement you make is a form of communication. Those signals you instinctively make are picked up by the audience and whether you know it or not, affect the way they receive what you are saying (or how you are listening). This can cause confusion and possibly reduce the impact of the message you are trying to convey.
Try to think of your toes or adopt a power pose if you want to increase your confidence in front of large audiences. Also, learn how to read the body language of other people so you can respond appropriately.
- Get rid of Unnecessary Distractions
Whether it is your phone, the PowerPoint presentation or the background noise – external stimulations are distracting when you are trying to deliver a message. They will reduce the effectiveness of your message so limit their use to the essential when communicating with others.
- Be Firm not Aggressive
Watching your tone is of particular importance. While you will need to be assertive at times, there is a fine line between being assertive and being aggressive. Avoid crossing that line at all costs as the latter will only alienate your audience and is not productive. Practice being confident and direct while portraying a calm, cooperative tone.
- Limit the Number of Conversations
You can’t concentrate when you hold more than one conversation at a time. There are several ways that this can happen:
- You discuss more than one thing at a time.
- You write emails at the same time as you are on the phone.
- You are on the phone at the same as someone is in your office.
Try to avoid discussing separate topics with two or more people at the same time and limit conversations to the essentials while remaining polite.
- Create a Response Schedule
Setting a routine for communications is useful so you don’t rush answers and yet manage expectations of those you regularly interact with. Set a time during the day in which you respond to messages or state you don’t respond to everything immediately, but have a set time limit (e.g. 20 minutes for texts and 24 hours for emails). As soon as you have a routine, people will learn to respect it.
- Assume Best Intentions
Messages in texts and emails can be misinterpreted by the person reading the email due to the tone generated by their emotions. This can create negative situations and can cause conflict when none is needed. So always assume best intentions and if there is any doubt, pick up the phone immediately to check on the message.
- Close the Loop
Finally, you need to ensure that when a conversation is over, it is over. When you end a conversation, produce detailed action points for both parties and when holding conversations via email or text, ensure that you, or they, sign off from the conversation with a generic ‘speak to you soon’ message.
Conclusion
Communication skills are essential when conveying important messages, delegating tasks and understanding feedback from employees, yet leaders’ communication skills are often inadequate. By improving your communication skills, you can improve employee engagement and performance, and drive greater success for your company.
To find more more, call me today on 01702 879548 or email enquiries@harley-west.com to find out more.
