ABC Office Services

COMMUNICATION

Communication is the most valuable tool we have both within the workplace and in our personal lives.  It is the tool by which we tell others how we feel, what our needs are.  We use it in every aspect of our daily lives- to instruct, to reprimand, to praise. 

Verbal Communication

Speaking is the most commonly used means of communicating in our society – but how often do you think about how you communicate?  In the workplace we need to give special attention and thought when giving instructions or allocating work. This should not only be about what to say, but also how to say it.

We spend around 85 per cent of our communication time speaking. It’s the method we generally prefer as it has some benefits over written communication, namely:

1. Speaking is a personal action. Both speaker and listener normally feel closer to each other when speaking rather than when communicating in writing.

2. Speaking is much quicker than writing. It would take much longer to write or type the same number of words that we speak in one minute (on average 150).

3. Speaking is easier. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are all much more flexible when speaking. Mistakes can be brushed aside or corrected immediately, and the listener will probably forget the mistake before the conversation ends.

4. The speaker can add value. Physical appearance, eye contact, voice modulation, tone and gesture can gain and hold the listener’s attention. The way these attributes are used can also enhance the message.

5. Instant feedback. Because speaker and listener are generally close by, feedback can have an immediate impact. It may also enable the speaker to modify the message to make it more effective.

Listening Skills

Why are listening skills so important?  Well it’s important to ensure that an individual knows what the message is that you are trying to transmit. 

‘Dos’

1. Take time to listen, give the speaker your full attention, and hear the speaker out even though he or she is repetitious.

2. Withhold judgment until the speaker is finished; strive to locate the main ideas of the message.

3. Try to determine the word meanings within the context of the speaker’s back-ground; listen for what is being implied as compared to what is being said.

4. Look (not stare) at the speaker most of the time; smile, nod, and give an encouraging sign when the speaker hesitates.

5. Ask questions at appropriate times to be sure that you understand the speaker’s message.

6. Restate the speaker’s idea at appropriate moments to make sure that you have it correctly.

‘Don’ts’

1. Don’t listen with only half an ear by ‘tuning out’ the speaker and pretending you are listening.

2. Don’t unnecessarily interrupt the speaker or finish the speaker’s statement because of impatience or of wanting to respond immediately.

3. Don’t fidget or doodle while listening; don’t let other distractions bother you and the speaker.

4. Don’t confuse facts with opinions.

5. Don’t show disapproval or insensitivity to the speaker’s feelings.

6. Don’t respond until the speaker has said what he or she wants to say.

Mutual understanding

When communicating within the workplace you need to have some understanding about the way others are likely to think and react to instructions. By showing genuine interest in your fellow workers, respecting their cultural diversity and their rights as individuals within a team, you will be more effective in communicating and working more cohesively with your fellow team members.  Showing interest does not mean making yourself available as an amateur counsellor or sharing your own innermost fears with your co-workers.  It means being aware of the existence of other people as separate individuals who respond to optimism, concern, and general friendliness.

Individuals in management or team leader roles need to spend time with their staff sharing their vision and plans for tasks, roles or projects in which they are mutually involved.  Low-key, one-to-one discussions like this can have significant impact on the motivation of others and enables them to more accurately understand the way management thinks and operates, and why procedures are done in certain ways.  Likewise, spending time with individual staff members gives management personnel greater insight into how staff approach tasks, and what kind of tasks are probably done better by others.

Staff who believe that the organisation is concerned about doing those things that are in their best interests as well as the organisation’s, are more likely to complete work more effectively, are inclined to be more enthusiastic and more adaptable to change.  Once again, it is about good communication.

Above all

Be mindful of the power of words – they can empower but they can also destroy.  Communicate with respect and consideration for others.

The ability to write clearly is important when communicating details of a task or project. Clearly written memos or details of a project assume even greater importance.  Some of the benefits of strong written communication are:

1. Written communication gives control to the receiver. The message(s) can be read at a suitable time. Because the message can be reread if necessary, more complex material can be written. The writer can have greater confidence in the total message being received and understood.

2. Writing has permanency. Because we retain only a small proportion of what we hear, written communication provides us with a cost-effective permanent record.

3. Writing can be less personal. A written communication removes the distractions around us.  A writer doesn’t suffer from negative feedback from the receiver as he or she writes.

4. Writing can be edited. Written material can be subject to numerous drafts to ensure that the message is communicated in the best possible way.

As with verbal communication, there can also be barriers to effective written communication:

1. Poor spelling, punctuation and sentence construction.

2. It takes more time to write about a topic than to speak it through.

3. Unwise statements are recorded for all time.

4. The writer does not receive immediate feedback.

5. Communication is less personal.

6. The receiver has all the control and can choose whether or not to read the message.

Being able to express a message clearly in writing demands practice. The danger of writing too much or too little is always present.  The receiver is inclined to jump to conclusions – nearly always the wrong ones – without checking first because of the remoteness factor.

Regularly compare memos and instructions you send with those you receive.  You will note that some you receive are poorly written and are hard to understand, leaving you wondering what he or she is trying to say.  There is no doubt that some memos are very well written and you can learn a lot from reading them.  Wherever possible use this as a guide to improving your own writing skills.

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