The Tribune

COMMUNICATIONS skills are essential for a productive workplace, as they allow employees to work together cohesively and professionally. Business owners will do well to hire employees with such solid skills, and there are ways to further improve communications through training exercises and behaviour modelling to give your company a competitive edge.

Some people are inherently more social than others, but anyone can learn and practice effective communications skills to increase job effectiveness. Here are some simple lessons in effective communication:

Be Open and have open

meetings

Successful leaders communicate with the objective of gaining understanding from the person they are interacting with. Keep an open mind when communicating with your team so you can see things from their point of view. It will make it easier to explain what you want from them if you put yourself in their position.

It is easier to communicate your passion, and how you feel, via open meetings. In this kind of forum, workers will not only hear what you are saying; they will also see and feel it. This approach still remains one of the best for communicating effectively with a team.

Avoid Monologue

Do not talk TO your team; talk WITH them. People are more receptive to a dialogue-type of communication than if they feel they are being ordered to do something without any chance to have their input. Approaching communication this way will help you gain an understanding, and insight, into the inner workings of your team, which is especially valuable for the future.

Clarity

Effective leadership communication is clear and simple. Do not be vague when discussing what you want from your team. Make sure they know exactly what you expect and when you expect it. If they do not understand what you are saying to them, they will not know what they should be doing. You lose productivity when they have to circle back to you for clarification on important information.

Trust

One of the most important things a leader or team member must establish for effective communication to take place is trust. If your employees do not respect you, they will not listen to you. Simple as that.

Listen

Communication is a two-way street. You have to be a good listener before you can start talking. Listen to the interests of your team and get a feel for their perspective on how to achieve goals. Effective listening will help you build relationships, solve problems, ensure understanding and improve accuracy. Taking a moment to listen will help you waste less time in the long run, making you more productive.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com