Communication Is Key

Contributed by Anne Rosenbury

Whether you realize it or not, you are in constant communication with others. You’re quiet, you say? Or, you succeed at flying under the radar? Even if those statements are true, you are still communicating to others how you view yourself, how you view them and how you feel about your job. Without even knowing it, we communicate without ceasing through everything we say or don’t say, and with everything we do or don’t do.

So how can we make sure we are communicating effectively? How do we know others will understand our ideas and interpret our motives correctly? Well, there’s no absolute guarantee for these things, but the following are a few foolproof techniques that can help you communicate clearly that you value your job, your coworkers and your clients.

Technique 1: Respond quickly.

Answer e-mail and return phone calls as soon as possible, especially when they are from clients or customers. This will communicate to them that you are placing their needs first and that your priority is keeping them happy. If you don’t know the answer to a question they might have, respond anyway and let them know that you’re working on finding the answer. By doing this, they know you’ve received their phone call or e-mail and they also know you aren’t ignoring it. Can’t keep up with it all? Then learn how to use an application like Microsoft® Outlook® to help you stay on track; Outlook has several tools that can offer you assistance in keeping up with the daily communication grind. Remember, responding quickly to needs and questions will earn you the respect of others.

Technique 2: Stick by your word.

When you tell your boss, a coworker, a client or a customer that you are going to do something or be somewhere, you should make every effort possible to follow through on your word. For example, if your client is expecting a completed report from you at 1:15 p.m. on a Friday, then don’t turn it in incomplete and don’t get it there any later than 1:15 p.m. on Friday! Stick by your word and that will build trust and allow others to rest easy, knowing that you will always come through in the end. Be clear about what people should expect from you and don’t let them down by not meeting those expectations. Being reliable can help you secure the right to take over more important and larger-scaled projects, which often comes hand in hand with a promotion.

Technique 3: Prepare in advance.

Whenever possible, always plan out your communication. Though many settings don’t allow for this, there are some that will. The most common of these settings takes place when you are charged with leading a meeting or when you initiate a business-related conversation. Think through how you’d like to open the meeting or conversation and how you’ll introduce the topic of discussion. Keep your messages simple, short and to the point. Also try to schedule meetings far enough in advance to allow ample time for all those involved to prepare. This will contribute to more productive and efficient meetings where everyone has the opportunity to bring issues or ideas to the table.

Technique 4: Make the time.

Check in with customers or clients on a regular basis; don’t wait for them to make the first move. Even if you don’t have anything to discuss, you can still let them know you’re there and available to help. Often, you can prompt a new project by simply making the time to initiate a conversation. Frequent contact also helps keep client-satisfaction levels higher, which leaves less room for a competitor to sneak in and steal the show. So, schedule time to contact people, and keep in mind that some will need it daily while others will need it weekly or monthly. This may seem like an overwhelming task to coordinate, but learn to use Microsoft Excel® to help you organize your contacts into different categories. A little effort can go a long way!

Technique 5: Be aware of nonverbal cues.

Your body language is another important source of communication. Through body language, you give off nonverbal cues that let others know how you feel about what they are doing or saying. These cues include eye contact, posture, appearance, tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and personal space. Have you ever voiced a fantastic idea of yours to a colleague and he responded with broken eye contact, a sour expression and then a “lean back” in his chair? You probably figured he didn’t find your idea as fantastic as you had, right? Right. So, pay attention to the nonverbal cues you send out to others and observe how they react in response to yours.

Technique 6: LISTEN!

Good communication isn’t only about how you speak or the nonverbal signals you send out; it’s also about how well you’re able to listen and interpret others’ nonverbal cues. The only way to meet the needs of those around you is by first recognizing them. Be sure that when you ask questions you allow plenty of time for people to respond. When people are talking to you, don’t cut them off before they are finished. Be aware of nonverbal signals coming from those around you and react accordingly. When you listen and respond to others appropriately, you allow them to feel more comfortable around you.

Though good communication alone won’t get you to the top, it’s a great place to start. Building these skills can take time, and you will most likely experience some communication failures along the way. However, an important component to learning communication skills is being aware of your mistakes, noting what caused a breakdown and then making adjustments to your communication style to prevent the same type of breakdown in the future. Effective communication skills help you win over those you work with, find new clients and keep the ones you already have. And that can help you feel pretty darn good about the job you do everyday.

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About the Author:
Anne Rosenbury is a freelance writer who works for numerous companies and organizations throughout the United States. She has an MA in English with a specialization in creative writing as well as over 5 years experience in the advertising and marketing industries.

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