Good communication is essential in every part of life, from our personal relationships to our professional lives. Good communication allows you to be more effective in your work, as well as build stronger relationships with team members, supervisors, and clients. There is no point in having a stellar idea or a winning business plan if you’re unable to communicate it effectively.
Effective communication involves a number of different elements, from verbal communication and non-verbal cues to written reports and emails. It’s critically important to master all forms of communication in order to succeed in all stages of your career, whether you’re just starting out or progressing to a senior executive level.
Why is Communication so Important in the Workplace?
Communication skills help you to engage successfully with others, be heard in a meeting, work in a team, and build strong relationships. All of these factors make these kinds of interpersonal skills critically important in the workplace.
It Helps You Succeed in Your Career
Whatever career path you choose and regardless of the sector you work in, you need excellent communication skills if you want to be successful. Good communication underpins many essential parts of being a professional, from teamwork to sales and presentation skills.
Being able to communicate your strategy, proposal or business plan is just as important as defining your strategy in the first place. After all, you need to get other people on board – whether they are your investors, clients, managers, or direct reports – and for this, communication skills are essential.
It Helps You Cross Borders
As the world becomes more global, workplaces are increasingly multicultural, so it’s important to be able to work with people from other cultures. Strong communication skills are extremely useful in being able to bridge cultural gaps and understand people from other backgrounds. This will not only help you to be more effective in the workplace, but also advance the goals of the organisation you work for.
It Improves Your Professional Image
First impressions are everything. Having good communication skills will help you to make a strong first impression with clients, colleagues, and prospective employers. Furthermore, practising these kinds of skills helps to build self-confidence, which also helps you gain the respect of those you encounter.
You’ll Be More in Demand
Employer surveys routinely place oral and written communication abilities among the top ten most sought-after talents for new employees. Being able to demonstrate your excellent communication skills through your resume and during an interview will help you to get hired.
How To Communicate Effectively in Different Professional Settings
Effective communication in the workplace has a range of implications, from how you interact with your team members to how you present your ideas in a formal setting.
Effective Communication During Presentations
Being able to give great presentations is a specific, highly valuable skill. However, underpinning this skill is excellent communication.
Effective communication during presentations involves achieving two key goals:
- Communicating your key message
- Conveying who you are, professionally and as a person
There are many situations where you’ll need to present a business plan or strategic plan. You may need to communicate your organisation’s strategic goals to your direct reports, or present a business plan to potential investors in order to fund your business idea. Whatever the situation, be sure to stay on message and share who you are with your audience.
How To Communicate with Your Manager
When communicating with a supervisor or manager, it is important to be respectful but assertive at the same time. Deferring to the authority of someone senior to you doesn’t mean you can’t have your own voice and opinions.
Above all else, it is essential to make an effort to communicate openly with your manager. Many employee-manager relationships break down due to a lack of open and honest communication. While there is a strong onus on your boss to work hard to communicate with you, you also need to play your part.
What is the Most Effective Way to Communicate with Your Team?
Equally, it’s important to make a dedicated effort to open up communication with your direct reports. Have an open-door policy and give your team members ample opportunities to raise issues or questions with you. Sometimes, the best way to communicate as a leader is to be quiet and listen to others’ concerns.
Understand that not everyone communicates the same way, and make an effort to learn how each member of your team prefers to receive instructions and critical feedback. Some people like to deal with these issues face to face, while others prefer to process the information in written form.
Final Thoughts
Individual and team success alike are dependent on effective communication. It can help avoid misunderstandings, build strong relationships, and allow you to establish yourself as an active member of your team.
It takes time and effort to become a proficient communicator in different professional settings. Many of these skills can be developed on the job, but further study can be highly valuable in taking your communication skills to an advanced level.
Take a look at EDHEC online programs which can help you to develop exceptional communication skills.
