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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May 19

How to Maximise your Active Listening Skills

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Listening is probably the most crucial element of business communication yet so often it is sorely neglected. The ability to focus fully on another person and pay complete attention to what is being said appears to be a dying art. It is often said that at best we retain only between 20 and 50% of what we hear and so in a business context where we are expected to absorb and act on large quantities of information it is essential that we listen as fully as possible – and we need people know that we have been listening and that they have been heard.

Businessman Pali Rao i How to Maximise your Active Listening Skills

© istockphoto.com/Pali Rao

So what does it mean to listen actively? These simple strategies below should help you to become a more effective listener and communicator.

  • Avoid distractions and focus on the speaker – it is all too easy to find ourselves not only thinking about something else but actively fiddling with our smartphones or listening to another conversation while someone is talking to us. As well as risking not capturing all the information, consider the image this portrays to the speaker
  • ‘Listen’ to the non-verbal as well as verbal signals – in addition to the words themselves, a key part of any message is the non-verbal signals you receive from the speaker. Pay attention to posture, eye contact and gestures to get a deeper understanding of the message they are trying to convey
  • Use non-verbal communication to show you are listening – as well as interpreting others’ non-verbal cues, try to ensure that you make good eye contact, keep your posture alert and use appropriate gestures such as nodding to demonstrate that you are listening
  • Avoid the temptation to interject or interrupt – let the other person finish before jumping in with questions or giving your own version of events. Silence is a powerful tool so use it well.
  • Ask good questions – when the speaker has finished ask open questions to elicit any further information or clarification you need
  • Paraphrase and summarise to make sure that you have heard and understood correctly – it is very easy to make assumptions, miss key elements or misinterpret messages so check back in with the speaker to check that you have understood correctly. Without patronising, it can be helpful to recap on what you have understood and summarise the main messages.

We should all place greater importance on active listening as it shows respect, helps build relationships and avoids wasting time due to misunderstandings or mis-placed assumptions.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Apr 03

Managing Conflict in the Workplace

Communication Skills No Comments »

The first thing to understand is that conflict in the workplace is a reality. We can either live with it, ignore it or deal with it. We are often faced with conflict from early on in our careers but managing conflict is a key skill for effective management and can make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful manager. How a manager chooses to handle conflict defines their capability as a leader. A true leader recognises, understands and manages conflict. Avoiding it is not an option as it will not go away; instead it will only escalate.

Businessmen viewed from top sjlocke i Managing Conflict in the Workplace

© istockphoto.com/Sjlocke

To recognise and manage conflict, we need to understand:

1. Its causes
2. Its dangers
3. How to deal with it
4. Benefits of dealing with it

The causes can be as varied as the types of people working in an organisation. The causes range from competition, manipulative individuals, bruised egos, jealousy, blame games, unfair handling by superiors, to simply miscommunication and misunderstandings.

The dangers are infighting among staff, a loss of morale and loyalty to the employer, a destructive work atmosphere, anger and gossip among staff, barriers between individuals and teams, power struggle, non-co-operation, and worst of all, a high attrition rate, particularly of efficient and effective staff.

Ways of managing conflict can differ according to the nature of the conflict as well as the personality types involved. These are some general tips that can be useful in most cases.

  • First of all, if you are a manager dealing with conflict you should never be seen as subjective or having favourites. You must be seen as fair and consistent.
  • Always have a clearly defined code of conduct with an understanding that breaking this will not be tolerated.
  • Conflict should always be recognised, understood and dealt with at the earliest. It will not resolve by itself.
  • The benefits to each individual of co-operation and a conflict-free workplace with a healthy team spirit must be made absolutely clear. Effective communication and rapport building is the key.
  • As a manager you should know how to separate the person from the problem. In other words, deal with the behaviour and the situation without attacking the identity of the individual. This way it doesn’t become personal and there is a better chance of the employee listening with an open mind.
  • Invest in staff-development training in team management, emotional intelligence, communication skills including non-verbal, mediation and counselling skills, cultural awareness in global organisations, and leadership skills
  • Finally, anyone facing conflict should choose their battles. Know when to come down firmly and when to hold back so that you are not perceived as unfair and dictatorial.

The benefits of managing conflict effectively are just as numerous: high staff morale, high productivity resulting in financial gain, healthy work environment, effective team work saving time and stress, and loyalty to the employer resulting in staff retention to mention just a few. Effective and transformational leaders can even cherish the challenge of resolving conflict and take credit for a creative, productive workplace.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Mar 07

How to Negotiate with your Boss

Communication Skills 2 Comments »

When we think about our negotiation skills we tend to focus on negotiating externally with clients, suppliers and partners. However, one of the most challenging types of negotiation we face in the workplace is when we have to negotiate with our boss. This can be anything from a formal salary negotiation through to requesting extended annual leave or flexible working hours or renegotiating a deadline. The relationship with your manager is probably the most important professional relationship you have and the way in which you influence and negotiate with them can have a lasting impact on your career.

Meeting Neustockimages i How to Negotiate with your Boss

© istockphoto.com/Neustockimages

First of all, get your timing right. Approach your boss when you know the time is right for them but also try to ensure that your conversation coincides with a successful project that you have completed or a recent situation where you have gone the extra mile.

Be prepared and make sure you have done your research before you start negotiating. If you are negotiating a salary increase then have examples of what people in similar roles are earning and of what other organisations pay for your expertise.

Keep control of your emotions – be as neutral as possible and stick to the issues themselves rather than your reactions or feelings. Try not to show how much it matters to you as this could potentially weaken your position.

Support your arguments with concrete facts and examples – rather than talking in general terms about your experience, expertise or longevity with the company quote specific examples of where you have added value or delivered success.

Put yourself in your boss’s shoes and try to demonstrate how your expectations could be mutually beneficial. For example, if you are asking for flexible working you can explain how you will be able to give extra time to the business and work more effectively. Show that you have something valuable to give and that by accommodating your request your boss will also be in a better position.

Be clear on your bottom line – Before you start your conversation you should be clear in your own mind how far you are prepared to compromise and what you need to achieve. Know your BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement). This is your fallback position if you fail to reach an agreement. So for example, if your boss refuses the salary increase you request, your BATNA might be that you need to have an enhanced commission scheme or that you are given training in the skills you require for your next promotion.

Make sure you have a summary of what has been agreed. Either ask your boss to send an email confirming the outcomes of your conversation or send an email yourself outlining your request and the agreed response or time lines to respond.

As with all types of communication, preparation, clarity and empathy are crucial to ensure that negotiation brings about positive outcomes. Negotiating can be a particularly challenging form of communication as it potentially leads to conflict and when you are negotiating with your boss there is an obvious power gap before you even start. However, influencing and negotiating are essential skills for growing your career and improve your opportunities.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Sep 14

Communication Resolves Conflicts

Communication Skills No Comments »

An interesting discussion on Radio 4’s Word of Mouth recently examined how our language use and communication style can help us to diffuse potentially challenging situations and resolve conflict. An expert panel discussed a range of conflict situations from the workplace through to hostage negotiations and marriage guidance and agreed that while these are all very different contexts the same principles apply to ensuring a satisfactory resolution to the conflict. What is clear is that they way we use both verbal and non-verbal communication in conflictive situations can make all the difference to our impact on the other party and how the situation is resolved.

Businessman Pali Rao i Communication Resolves Conflicts

© istockphoto.com/Pali Rao

Here are some key pointers when you find yourself in a conflictive situation in the workplace:
  • It may be a cliché but try to separate the person from the problem and to describe behaviours rather than label people. So, for example, rather than saying ‘you made me feel like I hadn’t done a good job’ it is better to say ‘I didn’t receive any feedback so  I thought I hadn’t done a good job.’
  • While telling someone to calm down is not helpful try to use language to lower the temperature and make a connection with the other person
  • Use language to demonstrate that what matters to the other person also matters to you and that you can empathise with their position.
  • Listen carefully and repeat back the other person’s key concerns to show that you have understood
  • Be aware of how you use body language and your tone of voice – softer intonation patterns can help to moderate difficult messages. And be particularly aware when using ‘device-lead communication’ that you do not have the benefit of non-verbal communication and are more likely to be misconstrued
  • Avoid the temptation to make digs or bring up previous conflicts – you might momentarily feel like you have the upper hand but making the other person feel small will not give you any long term benefits

Managing conflict in the workplace can be one of the most challenging aspects of our professional lives and requires a complex set of communication skills. Many organisations run Conflict Management or broader communications skills training programmes such as Communicating with Impact equip their employees with the awareness and skills to manage conflict more effectively and even turn it to their advantage.

© 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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Oct 28

Councils ‘Waste’ £500,000 on Training Courses

Communication Skills No Comments »

Once again the popular press including London’s The Evening Standard is up in arms about the amount of money local councils have been spending on training programmes during these times of cuts and economic hardship. The article cites all sorts of external and internal training courses council workers have been sent on including ‘key fob training’ seminars, a ‘Using Social Media’ day, ‘Licensing Law for Sex Establishments’ training and as well as more mainstream communication skills training programmes and executive coaching sessions for a cabinet minister.

Businessman Pali Rao i Councils ‘Waste’ £500,000 on Training Courses

© istockphoto.com/Pali Rao

Of course, we, as the general public, deserve to know that our taxes are being spent wisely and prudently particularly when many of us are seeing local services reduced. It is natural that hackles start to rise when we hear about government or council workers spending valuable time sitting in tick box training courses that are not aligned to the real needs and context of the individual employees. Many local authorities offer a per employee annual training allowance and while this may be a modest amount of money, employees should not be encouraged to think that it is there to be spent regardless as this can be an easy route to wasting money. Best practice suggests that organisations that prioritise developing their people should set aside the equivalent of 1 -3% of their salary bill as the annual training budget – but not that this budget should necessarily be presented as a per head allowance. Furthermore, training, or more importantly learning, does not necessarily need a monetary value to be effective. For example, internal mentoring or coaching programmes can often be as valuable if not more than bringing in an external expert.

However, it seems simplistic to deny government and council workers access to learning and development opportunities available from external agencies. Roles and responsibilities are becoming increasingly complex with civil servants communicating with and on behalf of the departments and localities they represent. They need to be well-informed about the issues they face but equally need to be highly skilled to be able to communicate with impact to a wide range of stakeholders. So, while it is easy to joke about a council worker attending a training programme at the Institute of Licensing to understand the correct use of the law relating to sex establishments, is it not important that someone who is potentially responsible for monitoring or even closing down these businesses should have a full understanding of the legal context? Equally, a senior civil servant or government minister who has been successful due to his or her technical knowledge or subject matter may need targeted coaching support to manage the complex communication challenges they confront on a daily basis.

The media is right to question how the national and local government spend taxpayers’ money. But perhaps the questioning needs to be a little bit more intelligent and rather than throwing their hands up in horror because council workers are seemingly being trained on how to use a Blackberry or create a Facebook page they should look a little bit deeper into the training policy within that particular department or authority to ensure that any training budgets are spent effectively. Good questions to start with might include:

  • How are external training companies assessed and selected?
  • Are training fees negotiated and are there discounts in place?
  • How are training objectives set out and mapped against business objectives – for individuals, teams and the organisation as a whole?
  • Is there a focus during the course on workplace application?
  • How is the impact of the training measured after the course has taken place?
  • How accountable are individual employees for taking ownership of their own learning and development?

If the answers to these questions are unsatisfactory then is more cause for concern that if some of the training titles on offer appear suspicious.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Sep 05

Communicating from the Top-down

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The Evening Standard has recently identified good communication skills as essential for ensuring managers are not seen as ‘horrible bosses’. The article is clearly very light-hearted but it highlights important messages to all managers about the importance of creating excellent professional relationships and developing an authentic and credible communication style.

Businessmen viewed from top sjlocke i Communicating from the Top down

© istockphoto.com/ Sean Locke

Successful senior managers and leaders develop their communication skills not only to inform and instruct but to inspire and engage with their staff. If leaders want to ensure that the operational, behavioural and strategic changes they envisage are implemented they need to ensure that they communicate these messages clearly and appropriately through the right channels to the right people at the right time. They need to be sure that their non-verbal communication matches the words they use or if they communicate by email that their tone of voice has the right balance of credibility and approachability.

When good leaders communicate they put themselves in the shoes of employees and think about how they can encourage their staff to engage with and believe in their messages – and in turn, engage with the organisation. Engaging and empathetic communication from the top is more likely to inspire loyalty and to motivate employees to work better and harder for their organisation

Good leaders are also good listeners and are conscious that communication is a two way process. They are able to ask the right questions and they value and give credit to the fact that many of their staff may have expertise that they do not share or solve problems where they have struggled.

Creating the right impact as a leader or senior manager is about much more than being liked or something ‘touchy feely’ but it is also about ensuring the credibility not only of the individual but also the organisation they represent. Good communication skills are not a ‘nice to have’ but an essential set of tools for any leader managing teams, projects or campaigns. Leaders or senior managers who have risen through the ranks more for their technical than their interpersonal skills will benefit from targeted communication skills training programmes that will enable them to become more aware of their own communication style and develop skills to create more positive impact on those they are leading.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Jun 17

Cut out the Clichés

Communication Skills No Comments »

Yet again, British journalists are commenting on the ubiquitous use of clichés and business buzzwords with a journalist in The Independent recently launching a one-man war on clichés. The paper’s website has built up a list of the top 100 banned words and phrases which include fine examples of verbiage, jargon, overused buzz words and other types of cliché.

Definition Language kdow i Cut out the Clichés

© istockphoto.com/ Kdow

The article suggests that politicians are the worst offenders citing David Cameron’s use of ‘pillar to post’, ‘one size fits all’ and ‘reinvent the wheel’ in a recent speech on the NHS. Other professions are probably just as guilty and certainly the business community has its fair share of serial offenders with expressions such as ‘bandwidth’, ‘offline’, ‘face time’ and ‘game changer’ all becoming common place in business meetings, documents and telephone exchanges. These expressions are sometimes useful and can act as shorthand between those who share the use of similar buzzwords. Yet why do so many of us find our eyes glazing over when we hear or see these expression or feel the user loses credibility as we inwardly compare them with latest batch of hopeful candidates on The Apprentice?

If you want to engage with your counterparts and want them to act on the messages you are communicating, you need to use language that makes sense to them and resonates with their heart as well as with their head. Yes, some people you work with may be very comfortable with these expressions and give you more credibility for using this type of language. However, for those of us who aren’t tuned in to this type of business jargon you may need to reconsider the language you use in order to get the results you want.

The secret is to be aware of your own communication style and of the range of styles and preferences you will encounter in your workplace. This will then help you to adjust and adapt your communication to ensure that the content of your message is well received. Communication skills training programmes can help you to decipher your own and others’ preferred styles and to put in place techniques and strategies to win over your audience so that they respond favourably to you.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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