How to communicate more effectively at work?
21 de August, 2024
Communicating clearly and effectively at work can be challenging, as companies are made up of people with different cultures, experiences and points of view.
However, knowing how to communicate effectively is fundamental to collaboration. Good communication reduces conflicts and misunderstandings and helps to improve people’s motivation and satisfaction in the workplace.
According to the study The State of Business Communication study, poor communication in the workplace tends to increase stress levels and reduce job satisfaction and confidence.
If you think you can improve the way you communicate – with your colleagues, with your bosses, with your teams – discover the tips we have for you.
Read also: 8 steps to good teamwork
1 – Understand the best way and channels to communicate
Communication in a professional context can take place by various means: face-to-face, by email, by telephone, in virtual meetings, via instant messaging or other internal channels.
Make sure you know your company’s guidelines on which channels to use at any given time. These guidelines, or best practices, may vary depending on whether you are communicating with direct colleagues or with colleagues from other departments, for example. Always bear in mind that your approach may have to be adapted depending on the interlocutor and also on the moment.
2 – Develop your verbal communication skills
Good interpersonal communication is important in a professional context, but also in a personal one. Basically, whenever you have to relate to other people. Some of the main communication skills are:
- Communicate clearly, concisely and with structure, i.e. in a way that is easy to understand;
- Maintain courtesy, politeness and respect for others;
- Showing empathy, i.e. trying to understand the opinions, motivations and emotions of others;
- Have an open mind and the flexibility to listen to different perspectives.
3 – If possible, favor face-to-face conversations
It’s not always easy to understand people’s tone when communicating in writing, via email or instant messaging, for example. Talking face-to-face, or by video call, helps to mitigate any miscommunication, gets the message across more clearly and saves time.
In addition, face-to-face interactions tend to strengthen professional relationships, as there is greater proximity.
4 – Remember that communication is not just verbal
Communicating isn’t just about what we say. The tone we use in our speech and our body language also convey a message.
Sometimes what we say isn’t aligned with how we say it. That’s why it’s very important to also consider non-verbal communication skills.
For example, shaking your legs could mean you’re anxious or crossing your arms could mean you’re disinterested. It’s essential to ensure that your posture is conveying the right message and, at the same time, you should also know how to interpret these signals in other people.
5 – Always listen actively
It is often said that more important than knowing how to speak is knowing how to listen. In fact, listening to other people is a fundamental foundation for human interactions.
The more actively you listen to what they have to say, the easier it will be for you to receive and grasp the message. And this will lead to clearer, less ambiguous communication.
In addition, show your interlocutor through your body language that you are paying attention to what is being said: for example, by smiling or nodding.
6 – Favor two-way communications
Communicating effectively involves speaking, listening and giving feedback so that both parties understand each other. It also involves listening to other people’s ideas and opinions, rather than just trying to impose your own.
Don’t just listen in order to give an answer, but show that you are genuinely listening and paying attention to the other person. Reinforce this interest by maintaining eye contact.
7 – Communicate your needs transparently
Another important aspect of communication is transparency. You need to be able to express your needs and intentions clearly and unequivocally. And, what’s more, at the right time.
For example, if your line manager assigns you a task that you won’t be able to complete due to lack of time, it’s best to convey that message right away and be straightforward about your workload.
8 – Focus on facts, not stories
Many of the misunderstandings surrounding human relationships result from the fact that people imagine stories instead of just considering the facts.
Let’s consider the following example: you’ve sent an email to a colleague making a request and that colleague replies saying that he needs more information in order to follow up. This is a fact. But if you think that this colleague replied because he doesn’t want to collaborate or help, then that’s a story. You have no way of knowing if that’s true or not, it’s just your interpretation of the fact.
Sometimes it’s unavoidable to build stories around facts, but it’s very likely that this can lead to miscommunication. So, in your interactions in a professional context, try to base yourself only on facts.
9 – Improve your writing skills
If your job involves exchanging written communications – by email or instant messaging, for example – then it’s important that you know how to write effectively.
You should try to write correctly, concisely and with well-structured ideas. In addition, you should adapt the way you write to the person you are communicating with, be it a colleague, a leader, a client, a supplier, etc.
To improve your writing skills you can:
- Take online or face-to-face courses (in writing, storytelling, among others);
- Try to write regularly, even outside of work, and read (reading is the foundation of good writing);
- Try to expand your vocabulary by looking up synonyms when you’re writing and researching the meaning of words you don’t know when you’re reading;
- Check your texts carefully for grammar and punctuation;
- Ask other people to review what you write, so that this feedback allows you to see if your writing is simple and clear.