published: 25 Feb 2020
3 min read | website: www.ebr.com.au
Effective communication is indisputably one of the keys to a smoothly operating business. However, given the large variety of personalities and ideals that tend to populate the workplace, it can be difficult to encourage effective communication. Thankfully, there are still some advice that you can take on board next time you have a group project, a meeting or just any business activity that involves discussions.
Create a welcoming atmosphere
To allow everyone the best chance to open up and communicate with each other, you need to be able to give them the right environment for them to do so. There are multiple ways to facilitate such atmosphere. You can give others a demonstration by remembering to smile, use open body language and taking on a respectful tone when speaking to others. If you start practicing this, and encourage others to do the same, then everyone would start to feel more comfortable, which will lead to a more relaxed environment. By creating such an environment, you will help everyone be more open with each other, which leads to more fluid and honest discussions. This tip is particularly helpful for those who are more introverted, shy or lacking in confidence.
Use straightforward language
Try to refrain from using language that is too formal, or language that is too informal. If the language you use is too sophisticated or technical, then the people who you are speaking to may not understand you. This situation can be made worse if you are speaking to people who are not brave enough to admit that they do not understand something you said, which commonly leads to miscommunications and accidents. Conversely, if you use language that is too informal, such as using slangs and abbreviations, then your audience may again fail to understand your message. So always ensure that your language is simple and straightforward with no unnecessary frills added to optimise communication in the workplace.
Be a good listener
While it is great to be an effective speaker, it is equally as important to be a good listener. Encourage team members to open up and give their opinions or ideas, and while they are speaking, make sure you are listening attentively to their words and showing them that you are taking their ideas into careful consideration. That way, you can garner new ideas or opinions that would help further improve your work, whilst simultaneously showcase to your team members that their voice and work are valued. This would help them become more confident in the future to be vocal again.
Use visual aid
There are people who are good at understanding information simply by reading or listening to it, but there are also plenty of workers whose understanding thrive off visual presentations. To encourage effective communication, you would need to cater to both types of workers. This is why presentations are a great way of communicating your message to a large number of people all at once, you can give deliver your message both visually and verbally. Additionally, another visual aid that can help facilitate understanding and thus communication is through demonstrations. Acting out your message through demonstrations goes a long way in clarifying any confusion.
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