Communication Techniques in The Workplace

Communication Techniques in the Workplace
Communication skills are critical in all walks of life, but communicating effectively
in the workplace is critical to professional success. Whether interacting with
colleagues, subordinates, managers, customers or vendors, the ability to
communicate effectively using a variety of tools is essential. Building strong
communication skills requires a focus on effective interactions and the ability to
listen so you understand and focus on meeting the needs of others. In addition, in
today's technology-driven world, effective communicators stay up to date on the
tools available to them.
Determine your communication objective. Every communication has a purpose, and

identifying that purpose is the first step in effective communication. Whether you
want to inform, influence, persuade or sell, having an end goal in mind can help you
communicate effectively.
Analyze your audience. The more you know about your audience, the better job you
will do in communicating with it. For instance, if you want your boss to give you
approval to attend a conference and you know he's concerned about staying up to
date on key industry trends, that's a point you can bring up in your interactions. If
you know your boss is most concerned about the bottom line, consider how your
attendance at the program could help increase sales or improve efficiencies that
might cut costs.
Select communication tools—or a mixture of tools. Your purpose and audience will
help you determine the best communication tool, or combination of tools, to use.
When communicating one on one, some people prefer email, some the phone and
some in-person discussions. Choosing the wrong method can hinder your ability to
be effective. Consider also the timing of your communications. Approaching the
boss right after a tense sales meeting is probably not the best time.
Create key messages. People often try to convey too much in a single
communication. Decide what your most important points are, given your audience
and your objectives. A good rule of thumb is to use no more than three to five main
points. These points should become your focus as you craft your message.
Listen and learn. Effective communication is often two-way, offering

communicators the opportunity to listen and learn, but only if they take advantage
of that opportunity. Every opportunity for interaction offers the chance to learn and
improve. Finding out areas where you have been misunderstood, or where
objectives have not been met, can help you be more effective when engaging with
others.
Top Five Communication Techniques in the Workplace
1. Listen with an Open Mind – To be a good communicator, you must first understand how to be a
good listener. Facilitate a sense of comfort and ease among your coworkers by reserving judgment
and listening with an open mind. The more comfortable your team is in speaking with one another, the
more effective your communication will be, which will result in higher efficiency and completion of
tasks.
2. Be Articulate – Have a clear understanding of your message. Be able to discuss your points in
simple terms, but know how to concisely explain the finer details if necessary. Demonstrated
coherency in your communication will give you credibility and enhance trust throughout your team.
3. Have Confidence in your Message – Along with understanding and articulating your message
effectively, you must stand behind it. Make it clear why you believe in your point of view and hold
firm to your standpoint. You’ll be more credible, and your demonstrated confidence will inspire
similar feelings in your coworkers and teammates. A confident team is a productive and efficient
team.
4. Encourage Feedback – Try to avoid being “all talk.” Give your audience or team members the
opportunity to provide you with feedback. Allow yourself to be open to criticism without taking the
feedback personally. Be welcoming of all constructive feedback, and try to approach each
conversation and feedback session with an open mind and a willingness to better your communication
tactics.
5. Be Appreciative – The old saying goes, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it.” If you speak
from a place of gratitude, people notice. Be sure you thank your listeners for their time. It’s a quick
and easy way to show gratitude, and your audience will feel appreciated which will in turn reflect
positively on you and your message.
10 Ways to Become a More Positive Communicator

1. Think before you speak or act.
Don’t just react. Pause and take a minute to think about how you want to respond
in an accountable way.
2. Keep an open mind.
Don’t jump to conclusions. Every story has two sides to it and somewhere in the
middle, you’ll find the truth.
3. Discuss rather than argue.
Use your active listening skills and shovel any piles that need shoveling. Deal with
the issues you need to deal with and be tender on the person and tough on the
issue!
4. Cultivate a soothing voice.
Remember, the tone of your voice means more than what you say. Watch your
body language. Keep your body open and relaxed.
5. Never lose an opportunity to praise or say a kind word.
Say something nice to someone. Look for what is good and say something about it.
6. Exceed expectations.
Always go the extra mile and do more than is expected of you. Better yet, do it
with a smile.
7. Learn to be objective about personal criticism.
Don’t spend time worrying about things you have no control over. Be true to
yourself.
8. Respect the feelings of others.
Treat others the way you believe they would like to be treated.
9. Refuse to discuss the shortcomings of others.
Discourage gossip. Gossip does not do anyone any good. We all know that, so why
do we do it? Try making a good and positive comment for every gossipy one you
hear.
10. Let your virtues speak for themselves.
Dust off those communication skills you know, but you don’t always use, to work
toward better communication and understanding.
Use these tips to think about how you will communicate in a more positive way.
When you encourage positive communication within yourself, people will follow
your lead and you will encourage others to do the same!
In short, conversations go a lot better – and you’ll be happier with the results –
when things are approached in a positive way right from the start.

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Communication Techniques in the Workplace

Determine your communication objective. Every communication has a purpose, and

Listen and learn. Effective communication is often two-way, offering

Top Five Communication Techniques in the Workplace

10 Ways to Become a More Positive Communicator

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