| You've seen it in every classified ad and
most job descriptions: must have excellent communication skills. Even worse, once hired,
it reappears annually each review period: Improve communication skills. What's a person to
do? Communication skills don't require a graduate degree, just common sense, a bit of
homework and a better understanding of the role communication plays — in everything:
Listen.
You don't have to speak like John F. Kennedy or orate like
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to be considered a good communicator. Listening skills are the
most ignored aspect of good communication skills. More misunderstandings occur due to poor
listening than to misstatements.
Want to be a good listener?
Suspend that urge to speak while others are speaking. Don't
begin to prepare what you'll say next. Listen actively and intently, with ears, eyes, mind
and body. Are you following what's being said? If so, nod in agreement. If not, a furrowed
brow indicates you're confused. Your speaker needs these cues. If you truly heard and
understood, repeat it back in your own words. This lets both parties know they're on the
same wavelength.
Mind Your ABCs.
Some people turn complex topics into simple explanations.
Sadly, others' talents lie in the opposite direction: making simple topics complex. I
strive to mind my ABCs: Accuracy, Brevity and Clarity.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur once remarked that even more
important than giving orders that could be understood was issuing orders that couldn't be
misunderstood. Whether or not lives are at stake, your reputation as a communicator may
be. People appreciate short sentences; they are often confused by long, convoluted ones.
Keep it succinct.
Are you labeled missing in action?
Some excellent communicators are deemed less so for not
contributing in meetings. A foreign-born coaching client from overseas was culturally
uncomfortable speaking up, so others monopolized the meetings, often rudely interrupting
to make a point. Her timidity, coupled with self-consciousness surrounding her command of
English, resulted in her wallflower demeanor.
Now the night before meetings she reviews the agenda,
composes her thoughts and rehearses making powerful yet concise statements about items of
the day. To others her remarks appear off-handed. She's thus perceived as a more powerful
and effective communicator. She's also developed a nice yet firm statement when she's
interrupted, which reminds people she hasn't yielded the floor yet. After a few
invocations of this phrase, others respect her opinions better. Her boss has noticed and
applauded her new assertiveness.
It takes two.
I knew a worker who was fired for her boss's inadequacies
as a communicator. Don't pay the price for another's communication shortcomings. It may
require some work on your part, but it's worth the effort.
I once had a boss who listened, but never asked questions.
After a while I anticipated the questions that needed to be asked and posed them myself,
or simply provided responses as if he'd asked them. I would go prepared to each meeting
with a list of project-related questions, which showed my foresight and attention to
detail. It benefited us both.
Write speech.
It sounds like a Buddhist precept, yet remember, writing is
a big part of communication. Let e-mails, weekly reports and other writings reinforce your
clear thinking, organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to express
important ideas.
Make your writing easy to read. "Speling
madders", even in e-mail. Use white space, numbered lists and bulleted items to
communicate more effectively. Titles, subtitles and lists similarly add cogency. Write
your piece, set it aside for a spell, then review it and strike out 25 percent to say it
more succinctly.
Speak up.
Consider taking a public speaking class, joining a local
Toastmasters club (www.toastmasters.org) to improve your oral communication skills. The
new skills, offline practice and confidence gleaned will help you in meetings, in giving
reports and in making presentations.
Excellent communication skills help in many ways. With
practice you can confidently give a speech, make a cold call, train others; conduct a
meeting, make a sales presentation, interview someone or be interviewed.
Improved communication skills can open many doors, both
within and beyond the workplace. It's time you sharpen your CQ — Your Communication
Quotient! |
