5 ways to improve your communication skills at work
As a Stata Manager or Assistant, everything revolves around communication in some way or another. There are always meetings to conduct, discussions with owners and tenants, repairs and maintenance to arrange, strata insurance to handle, and so on.
So with your day-to-day centred around effective communication, how well do you actually communicate? The way you communicate can go either way, with some understanding and others misinterpreting or misunderstanding what you are saying. To provide more clarity and to become an effective communicator, here are 5 ways to improve your communication skills at work.
1. Understanding Your Audience
Effective communication begins with understanding your audience's needs. You can frame your message appropriately by considering your audience's priorities and tailoring your approach to meet their needs.
2. Pick the right channel for your message
Picking the right channel for your message is nearly as important as the actual message! A good way to determine which channel to use is the urgency of the message. If it's something that needs to be actioned quickly, verbal communication such as face-to-face or a phone call is the go. If it's something that you want documents/written confirmation of or not as urgent, sending an email is a good choice.
Something that is also good to consider is the emotion involved. If something is sensitive or you are dealing with someone that is upset, verbal communication is best and your tone can be lost/misinterpreted and written communication.
3. Focus on what you want to say
It is important to use clear and concise language when communicating. Practice being more concise if you tend to go into too much detail when talking or writing. Focus on the key message you need to convey and only elaborate on relevant points. You should avoid unnecessary detail or technical words that could confuse your message. Your goal is to help the recipient understand, not to become confused. If you want to ensure that your message is communicated as clearly as possible, think about the purpose and refrase your message if need be before picking up the phone or hitting the send button.
4. Practise good listening
Active listening is an essential part of effective communication - the best communicators aren't always those who talk the most. Being genuinely attentive to what your colleagues and clients are saying allows you to establish greater empathy with them and understand their perspectives better. This is particularly important in situations that might be sensitive or complicated, as it can help prevent misunderstandings.
While actively listening, you should remain attentive to what the speaker is saying. Once the speaker has finished speaking, repeat their key points and ask follow-up questions to ensure you understand what they have said.
5. Demonstrate empathy
By taking the time to listen and understand the emotions or concerns of the person you're communicating with, you'll be able to communicate more efficiently and in a way, they will appreciate and understand.
Understanding other people's perspective and tailoring your response and reaction is the key to effective communication.