May 21

Strategies for Effective Business Communication

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

“The meaning of communication is the response you get.” This means we need to take responsibility for the effectiveness of our communication. We usually blame our audience or readership for any misunderstanding. However, if the message does not get across as we intended, then we need to look at our own ways of communicating. Quite often, the response we get does not so much depend on what we say but how we say it.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i Copy Strategies for Effective Business Communication

© istockphoto.com/Viorika Prikhodko

Therefore, let us examine some strategies to effective communication in the work place.

First of all, understand your audience; this means, where possible, knowing vital information about them including their age, gender, culture and education. It also helps if you know their mind set or attitude towards you as well as the nature of information you wish to convey.

Next, plan both what to say and HOW to say it. Remember that the non-verbal part of communication, i.e. the vocal and the visual, affect the success or otherwise of your communication much more than the verbal. Even in written communication we have these three Vs:

  • Verbal or the words we couch our message in
  • Vocal or the style, tone and register we use
  • Visual or how we structure the layout

A skilled writer uses all three Vs to create the impact they desire.

Use the most appropriate communication channels. The choices are many: face-to-face, email, memo, telephonic or video meetings, presentations, websites, news releases, even the internet or the intranet. Sometimes you do not have a choice so where possible, get feedback to assess the efficacy of your communication.

Consider the layout of the office as there could well be physical barriers. The importance of the layout and even the arrangement of furniture should never be minimised. Some organisations thrive in an open-plan office with staff sharing space. Even perceived accessibility to senior managers makes a big difference. Bureaucracy and red-tape create barriers which stifle productivity where proximity is needed. On the other hand, there might be certain types of organisations and/or nature of work, particularly creative, where employees need private space to deliver quality work.

Finally, barriers can exist because of cultural and linguistic differences in a company with a multi-national staff. Here cultural awareness training goes a long way in sensitising employees to different sensibilities, particularly at the managerial level.

Linguistic barriers are not restricted to different mother tongues. Differences in expression, perception and reception occur within the same language. Therefore, use Plain English, i.e. keep your language and style short and simple by following a few golden rules. Cut out jargon, ‘business speak’ or complex and ambiguous language that may confuse the receiver in any way. Use more verbs than nouns, and favour the active over the passive voice. Make your language personal by using personal pronouns. Keep the tone friendly and conversational but always polite. Remember, write or speak to express not to impress.

Apart from these fundamentals to clear and effective communication, there are some other useful tips that will help remove the barriers:

  • Establish mental and emotional rapport between you and your internal or external audience, be they your staff, customers/clients or partners. Here, trust is important as you will lose credibility and the confidence of your staff if you are seen to be withholding vital information or speaking half-truths.
  • Bonding and team spirit among staff is equally important to minimise the insidious effects of ‘water-cooler’ gossip.
  • If possible, appoint a communications manager, to monitor internal and authorise external communication, especially of a sensitive nature, sent out to the media or clients.
  • Have a suggestions box. This is particularly useful in an organisation with a stricter vertical hierarchy.

Successful and effective communication must be two-way and it may be easier for staff at lower level to give feedback or make suggestions if they do not have to interact directly with their superiors.

Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to effective and successful communication, and the response you get will have the meaning you intended.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Dec 20

Proofreading Tips for Perfect Copy

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills, Legal Writing Skills, Report Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

A lack of time is a very easy excuse for sloppy written work and poor attention to detail. Particularly when we are publishing online whether via blogs, online discussion groups or social media such as LinkedIn or Twitter, we need to be quick but we also need to be accurate as our writing is hopefully being read by hundreds or even thousands of visitors – some of who could be prospective customers.

 

Writing Dmitriy Shironosov i4 Proofreading Tips for Perfect Copy

© istockphoto.com/Dmitriy Shironosov

1. The first step is simple – if you know your writing is prone to errors then you need to spend more time proofreading and make sure that you are completely focused while you do your proofreading

2. Then, if you can, try and take some time out between reading and proofreading, even if it’s only ten minutes or so to make a phone call or have a cup of coffee

3. Don’t rely on the spell-checker. It will pick up some but not necessarily all of your mistakes. It definitely will not spot any mistakes with homophones, i.e. words that are pronounced the same but spelt differently. It is all too easy to type their instead of there or your instead of you’re

4. If you have written anything more than a short paragraph, print out your text. It is much easier to spot errors on the page than on the screen and far less tiring on your eyes as well

5. Read what you have written aloud. You will hear any obvious mistakes such as repeated or missing words but any clumsy expressions or overly long sentences will also stand out more

6. If you have a reliable colleague, friend or family member who is good at proofreading then make the most of them. When we are checking our own work it can be difficult to see the wood for the trees. It is amazing how a fresh pair of eyes can spot things that have passed you by

7. Finally, make sure you proofread your document several times and each time check for a different issue. For example, the first time you check, make sure your spelling is correct, then check for grammar and then for repetition

Investing time and effort in improving your editing and proofreading skills is time well spent and the repercussions of not proofreading can be both costly and embarrassing.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Dec 04

Top Tips for Effective Business Writing

Business Writing Skills, Email Writing Skills, Report Writing Skills No Comments »

Organisations are producing an ever increasing volume of written communication in the form of emails, social media posts, guides and manuals, reports, proposals and so on and as a result individuals are now expected to digest huge amounts of written information.  As writers we need to support our readers and produce documents and correspondence that are attractive and easily digestible.  Following the tips below should help you on the right track to more effective business writing.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i 300x200 Top Tips for Effective Business Writing

© istockphoto.com/Viorika Prikhodko

1. Be concise – only say what you need to say and no more. Cut out any repetition or redundant text and replace long complex words with shorter equivalents.

2. Write clearly – there is nothing worse than reaching the end of a sentence, paragraph or an entire document and having to go back to the beginning to try and make sense of it.

3. Ensure your writing is complete and your reader has all the information they require.

4. Correct writing is essential – it goes without saying that your writing will not be effective if it is peppered with grammatical or factual errors.

5. Make sure your writing is coherent. Ensure that there is a logical flow from each sentence and paragraph to the next. This will guide your reader and help them understand your thought processes.

6. Be consistent – make sure your use of spelling, language and punctuation are all consistent but also consider formatting and layout. Check that your headings, bullet points and fonts are all in line as not doing so risks presenting a messy-looking and unprofessional document.

7. Checking and double checking your writing is crucial – a quick glance is not usually enough and good writers spend time not only checking for inaccuracies but also for readability.

8. Finally don’t forget to be courteous to your reader. Respect their time by keeping your writing brief and gauge their level of understanding of the subject matter. Try to translate complex concepts into simple language for non-expert readers but avoid patronising more expert-audiences through spelling out unnecessary detail.

Effective Business Writing courses can help you to reinforce the 8 Cs of effective business writing throughout your writing process and enable you to ensure a better response from your readers.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Dec 03

The Seven Deadly Sins of Email Writing

Business Writing Skills, Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

If you asked a sample of employees in any office in any major city worldwide what infuriates them about modern email usage you would probably end up with a list at least several pages long. However, here are seven of the most common cardinal sins of email writing

Typing Dmitriy Shironosov i1 300x200 The Seven Deadly Sins of Email Writing

© istockphoto.com/ Dmitriy Shironosov
  1. Use the reply to all function at your peril – use this very sparingly if at all; think carefully whether all the original recipients need to receive your reply and if they don’t then remove them
  2. Never send non-business related updates or requests to company-wide distribution groups – think about the impression it gives to colleagues who don’t know  you very well or to senior managers each time you send an email about your lost glasses, biscuits you’d like to share or  your latest charity endeavour
  3. Never put someone in copy if you expect them to action your email – if you want someone to do something it is only courteous that you ask them directly and that you indicate that the email is for them by putting their name in the ‘To’ field
  4. Don’t send very large attachments, particularly to multiple participants.  You risk not only clogging up their inbox but also slowing down their system as the message downloads
  5. Don’t use an old thread to start a new topic of conversation – this is lazy and many people use the subject line to search for an email they need to reference and so having information about one client stored in an email thread about a completely different project will confuse and frustrate your reader
  6. Don’t add new recipients part way through a conversation.  If they need to be involved they should have been included from the beginning or otherwise have a separate conversation with this person
  7. Never forget to give your email a read through before you send it – spelling someone’s name incorrectly, getting a date wrong or not answering all the questions you have been asked will cause great frustration to your reader

So if you want to avoid being seen as an email sinner do your best to avoid committing these email crimes.  Following an email writing course can help enormously but even taking a few extra minutes to think about the impact of your email and then making the necessary changes will save you time in the long run and no doubt improve your business relationships.

 

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Feb 02

What’s in an Acronym?

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills No Comments »

If someone asked you for a document ASAP, sent you one FYI or offered you some TLC you would most probably understand them. If they asked for the document by COB (close of business) or EOD (end of day) you might be less sure. Asked for the MO (Modus Operandi), would you know how to respond?

woman typing Dmitriy Shironosov i What’s in an Acronym?

© istockphoto.com/Dmitriy Shironosov

The Evening Standard has recently commented on the ubiquitous use of acronyms and the way in which they can confuse and exclude those who aren’t ‘in the know’. The writer was particularly aggravated by the use of acronyms in popular culture, citing her confusion at popular reality TV programmes, TOWIE, DOI and IACGMOOH. Look them up if you’re not sure!

For acronyms to be effective they should act as shorthand and speed up the exchange of information. With our ever faster pace of life together with the increased use of social media, particularly Twitter where the number of characters per message is limited to 140, it is not surprising that we have seen a multiplication of the number of acronyms used in every day language.

However, if we move to a professional setting, this increased use of acronyms can pose a number of problems. Firstly, what might seem a fun and friendly way of communicating between friends and personal contacts does not always convey a professional image in the workplace. Professional emails should be friendly but not overly informal. You might think that using acronyms such as LOL, TGIF or BFN help to build relationships but be aware that they might not create the right impression, particularly if your contact doesn’t know what they actually stand for.

Secondly, many professions or organisations create their own set of acronyms, all very useful for regular users but liable to baffle or perplex anyone from outside. Confusion grows even more when one acronym represents different expressions in different professions. CAT for example can signify Civil Air Transport, Cultural Awareness Training or Computer Assisted Training to name but a few. This can leave the bewildered newcomer or outsider confused and unsure whether to risk looking foolish and ask for an explanation or to remain in the dark.

Many organisations have now created their own in-house style guide to provide consistent guidelines to employees producing written communication. These style guides often include advice on when and how to use acronyms appropriately. However, the best advice is to use your common sense and if in any doubt spell it out in full. Why risk appearing smug and alienating your reader when a few more characters will make your message clear.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Dec 05

Zero Tolerance to Emails at Work

Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

How much time do you think you spend writing, reading, sorting and talking about emails while you are at work? Far too long is the most probable answer as many organisations and independent studies have reported that the average employee spends anything between two hours and more than 50% of their working day immersed in email correspondence.

woman typing Dmitriy Shironosov i Zero Tolerance to Emails at Work

© istockphoto.com/Dmitriy Shironosov

The Daily Telegraph has recently drawn to our attention that the head of Atos, one of Europe’s largest information technology services companies, is about to ban staff from sending each other emails. Thierry Breton has argued that sending internal emails is outdated and a waste of time, causing a huge loss of productivity. He has suggested that only 10% of the 200 or so emails his staff receive every day are likely to be useful and he is aiming to implement this ban in the next 18 months.

The dominance of email in the workplace can be extremely damaging to our productivity and is causing us to lose the ability to focus on any one task for an extended period of time. ORSE, an independent watchdog, has reported that 70% of new emails are reacted to within six seconds and it then takes us an average of 64 seconds to resume working at the same rate as before the interruption. It is not difficult to do the maths and work out the enormous cost of time wasted on constant email monitoring.

For the time being, a complete zero tolerance to email may be a step to far for most organisations but many companies are now putting in place email policies which guide their employees in the appropriate use of email. The tips below should help individuals to use email as an effective business tool rather than a crutch they can’t live without.

As a sender of emails consider making the following changes to save time and improve your own and your colleagues’ productivity

  • Consider very carefully who you copy in to your emails and don’t be afraid to remove recipients from ongoing email threads when you know it is no longer relevant for them
  • Consider even more carefully sending emails to large distribution groups such as the entire division or office. Does everyone really need to know that you have lost your stapler or your voice or that the sandwich vendor is running late?
  • Before you send a sensitive email think about whether it would be more appropriate to grab five minutes on the phone or even better face-to-face with the recipient – and never ever use email to express negative emotion
  • If you are sending an email to update your manager or team, make sure you are not simply ‘blowing your own trumpet’ or sharing trivial information but that you really have an important message to share
  • Never chase or ask for progress updates long before the agreed deadline – this is only likely to frustrate or worse distract the recipient from completing the task
  • Make sure you have all the information you need to send to your recipient before you hit the send button – it can be irritating to receive three emails on the same topic just because the sender was in too much of a hurry to think it through

As an email recipient, help yourself by following the tips below:

  • Turn off all your email alerts so that your senses are not distracted each time a new email arrives and you can continue to focus on the task in hand
  • Discipline yourself to check your emails only once an hour or ideally once every couple of hours. It is rare that something is so urgent it can’t wait an hour or so and if it really is imperative that you respond the sender can usually find another way of contacting you. We also need to train our colleagues not to expect immediate responses from us
  • Respond to your emails in batches if possible – when you open an email that has an easy answer reply directly and delete or file it rather than closing it and then reading again later
  • Create folders with rules so that updates, newsletters and other emails you know are not urgent can be automatically directed into a dedicated folder to be read at a later stage – if you find you never read them then unsubscribe
  • If you know that the morning, for example, is your most productive time of day don’t waste the first hour or so of your day responding to non-urgent emails

Email writing, etiquette and management can be a minefield and it can take an outside perspective for us to take on quite simple tips and strategies that will help us to ensure that email helps rather than hinders our professional life. Professional email writing training programmes can help you to re-evaluate the way you currently manage your email and to put in place better practice for using this business tool more effectively and efficiently.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Apr 01

Keep it Plain

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills 1 Comment »

Why is it that so many of us prefer to use four or five words when often a couple or even one will do? Are we communicating to impress or do we want to convey a clear and digestible message to our audience? Even during every day work place communication, in emails or during informal meetings it is commonplace to hear an indigestible mixture of cliché, business speak, foreignisms and long-winded expressions. Overuse of this kind of language can give the impression that you are pompous and self-important.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i1 Keep it Plain

© istockphoto.com/ Viorika Prikhodko

If you keep your language clean and simple, nobody is going to think that you are inarticulate. They are more likely to welcome your plain and natural approach to communication.

Below are just a few examples of expressions that can and should be replaced with much simpler equivalents.

At the current time – this may sound more important than ‘now’ but really now is all you are trying to say

Large in size – an office is large, a handbag is small. It is not necessary to explain that large and small are defining size. We know this.

Null and void – we can say that the contract is null or the contract is void but we don’t need to say both as they mean more or less the same thing.

Advance warning- can a warning ever be anything but advance?

The above mentioned – if you are referencing something you have already mentioned just use ‘this’. ‘This document’ is preferable to ‘the above mentioned document’.

Head up – is there any difference between heading a department and heading up a department? If you agree that there isn’t then one word is better than two.

Sui generis – try not to use Latin or other foreign language expressions as you may risk making your reader feel ignorant if they do not understand. If you want to say something is one of a kind then say so.

At the end of the day – we don’t really mean ‘at the end of the day’ but ‘in the end’ or’ eventually’. This expression is so ubiquitous that it has become clichéd.

Nobody is suggesting that we should always communicate in words of one syllable or that we should always aim for the lowest common denominator. However, many organisations have realised the benefits of a plain English approach to communication. After all time is money and time lost on misunderstandings, misinterpretations or following the wrong instructions costs organisations millions each year.

As a result, many organisations have developed their own internal communication and style guidelines or provide employees with regular communication skills training workshops to help them consider and adjust the language they use, whether in written or spoken communication. Programmes such as Effective Business Writingor Communicating with Impact enable employees to communicate more effectively in plain and simple language.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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