Effective communication builds not only healthy interpersonal but also business relationships. We must always make sure our message is delivered accurately. For many employees and business owners, workplace issues may seem like a set of unwanted situations one must silently handle. Communication, however, turns out to be the key to preventing unpleasant conflicts and situations. Poor communication becomes an issue not only for employees individually but for the entire team, which, in its turn, can affect the overall business productivity. Organizations must maintain a healthy relationship between staff members through well-managed communication. This will guarantee a more pleasant workplace atmosphere, boost employee motivation, and therefore increase business productivity. And while companies manage effective communication in the workplace due to special communication departments or various seminars, there are still simple tips for individuals to follow to be more successful in workplace communication.
Steps to follow
Pay attention to your tone of voice
It’s no secret that your voice tone can be matter of misinterpretation. Your message may lead to misunderstanding because you haven’t picked the appropriate tone for the very content.
Choose the right channel
Different messages require different channels. There are messages you need to send via email, while some other topics require face-to-face communication. Be sure to use the right communication channel depending on the message you are planning to convey. Remember that you do not want to disappoint or demotivate your employees or colleagues.
Ask questions
Asking the right question to make clarifications works perfectly for both sides. Asking open-ended questions helps you discover more and prevents you from making wrong conclusions from what one has said. Moreover, people will feel more valued when you ask for their opinion about an issue.
Listen
Effective communication is not just talking but listening actively also. You must first make sure you aren’t missing important information. Asking a question follows by paying close attention to the answer. Rephrasing the speaker’s thoughts helps you understand their message better, therefore you can form your response based on the information they provided.
Show respect
Showing respect to your speaker can take any form-from making good eye contact to staying actively focused on the conversation only. Make sure you give up all distractions and show the speaker you care. Remember that this refers to written communication also: use accurate language and organize your thoughts accordingly. Do not fail to value and respect other people’s viewpoints and avoid making quick conclusions. Even if the speaker is wrong, try to understand and value their point, then respond with a subtle tone and clarify your point.
Be clear and confident
Don’t wait for the speaker to take a guess about what you’ve said, and avoid long sentences. Convey your message in a few simple and clear words. When it comes to assigning tasks, try to make them understandable and simple whatever medium you are using for it. Pay close attention to the way you are saying things. If you are confident about your statements, do not be afraid to be misunderstood: use sharp and firm points.
Thank the speaker
No matter the situation, you always want to thank the person you are in discourse with. Be appreciative, thank them for their time, the information they provided, or any help, even if that was their responsibility. This could guarantee more honest and warm communication in the future.
Effective communication at Esterox
Esterox values its team’s warm and strong relationships, and for that very purpose, we highly encourage presentations and seminars on effective communication skills in our office. Esteroxers show high respect toward other team members, appreciate the positive atmosphere, and by following individual communication tips, boost the overall team’s performance for business purposes. We believe sharing is caring, and we hope the steps to effective communication we have highlighted in this article can help you maintain strong relationships in your teams.