How to Communicate Clearly Within the Workplace
Speak clearly and assertively., Listen to your co-workers., Avoid gossip., Ensure accuracy to build trust., Share information that’s specific and detail-oriented., Keep your communications brief., Respond to emails quickly., Follow up important...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Speak clearly and assertively.
When engaging in direct conversation with your co-workers, use active verbs and simple language to make sure everyone’s on the same page.Avoid filler words such as “uh” or “um,” and don’t mumble.
Be concise.
While it may be tempting to say things in a complex way to make yourself sound more competent, being too wordy can obscure your meaning.
Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be. -
Step 2: Listen to your co-workers.
Good communication is a two-way street.
Ask open-ended (instead of yes-or-no) questions of the people with whom you work, and take note of their answers.
Follow up with them and remain engaged in ongoing conversations.Follow up open-ended questions with more direct questions.
This can help ensure that you and your co-workers are understanding each other clearly.
When a co-worker or supervisor communicates something complex to you, try repeating or summarizing the major points back to them.
This will help you both be sure that you have understood what they are trying to tell you.
Personal conversations can provide a good foundation for more comfortable interactions about work.
Your boss might tell you that their daughter is participating in a soccer tournament.
A few days later, take the time to check in on how the tournament went. , Whenever you’re part of a group of people who know things about one another, it can be tempting to talk about others behind their backs.
This can only create negative feelings in the workplace, and it will almost certainly make it more difficult to communicate with your co-workers in a positive fashion.
If you gain a reputation for being a gossip, people will stop trusting you, and may opt to avoid communicating with you altogether.
Communication should be about building bridges between people, rather than breaking them down. , Take the time to proofread your writing and double check your information.
Spelling and grammatical errors can be a sign of laziness or lack of care, while mistakenly misrepresenting facts can lead to embarrassing results for you and your co-workers.
If you develop a reputation for inaccuracy, your fellow workers may stop trusting your work.
This is especially important for written communications and visual presentations.
When mistakes are written down, they’re easier for your audience to catch and harder for them to forget.
If you’re writing a really important message or document, ask one or more people to proofread your writing and check it for accuracy. , Whether you’re writing an email to your supervisor or updating your boss on the status of your latest assignment, your co-workers want access to the most up-to-date and clear knowledge possible.
If your colleagues know they can rely on you to provide specifics, they’ll come to you first with questions.It can be difficult to know how specific is specific enough.
Take a critical look at your interactions, and ask yourself whether you’re leaving your fellow workers with more questions than answers.
Don’t just say that a project is going well.
Instead, inform your manager that you’ve reached or exceeded your selling goals, and provide them with exact numbers. , The old adage that time is money applies to all profit-driven organizations.
Make sure your spoken and written communications impart information as quickly as possible.
While you should be sharing relevant details, do so without making your peers sift through unnecessary or redundant information.
Think about your audience and who needs what information.
Your boss may only be interested in the bottom-line results of your work, while co-workers at your own level may need to know the challenges you met along the way. , In today’s workplace, a large amount of communication occurs via email.
Respond to emails within one to two business days, and don’t let your inbox get backed up.
If your co-workers know they can rely on you for a quick response, they’ll be more likely to reach out with questions or comments.You should also find an efficient system for responding to calls and voicemails.
You don’t have to be available at all times or return calls right away.
However, you should designate a regular time for dealing with phone communications and be consistent about it. , If you have an important work-related conversation over the phone or in person, send a follow-up email or memo.
That way, you will have a written record of whatever was decided or discussed during the verbal conversation., If you don’t understand something, particularly if it’s something that pertains to doing your job, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.
For example, if your boss has just given you a complicated assignment and you are not sure you understand your instructions, ask about the specific parts of the process you need help with.
E.g., “Could you please tell me a little bit more about what I need to do after filing the report?” -
Step 3: Avoid gossip.
-
Step 4: Ensure accuracy to build trust.
-
Step 5: Share information that’s specific and detail-oriented.
-
Step 6: Keep your communications brief.
-
Step 7: Respond to emails quickly.
-
Step 8: Follow up important conversations in writing.
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Step 9: Ask questions.
Detailed Guide
When engaging in direct conversation with your co-workers, use active verbs and simple language to make sure everyone’s on the same page.Avoid filler words such as “uh” or “um,” and don’t mumble.
Be concise.
While it may be tempting to say things in a complex way to make yourself sound more competent, being too wordy can obscure your meaning.
Don’t make things more complicated than they need to be.
Good communication is a two-way street.
Ask open-ended (instead of yes-or-no) questions of the people with whom you work, and take note of their answers.
Follow up with them and remain engaged in ongoing conversations.Follow up open-ended questions with more direct questions.
This can help ensure that you and your co-workers are understanding each other clearly.
When a co-worker or supervisor communicates something complex to you, try repeating or summarizing the major points back to them.
This will help you both be sure that you have understood what they are trying to tell you.
Personal conversations can provide a good foundation for more comfortable interactions about work.
Your boss might tell you that their daughter is participating in a soccer tournament.
A few days later, take the time to check in on how the tournament went. , Whenever you’re part of a group of people who know things about one another, it can be tempting to talk about others behind their backs.
This can only create negative feelings in the workplace, and it will almost certainly make it more difficult to communicate with your co-workers in a positive fashion.
If you gain a reputation for being a gossip, people will stop trusting you, and may opt to avoid communicating with you altogether.
Communication should be about building bridges between people, rather than breaking them down. , Take the time to proofread your writing and double check your information.
Spelling and grammatical errors can be a sign of laziness or lack of care, while mistakenly misrepresenting facts can lead to embarrassing results for you and your co-workers.
If you develop a reputation for inaccuracy, your fellow workers may stop trusting your work.
This is especially important for written communications and visual presentations.
When mistakes are written down, they’re easier for your audience to catch and harder for them to forget.
If you’re writing a really important message or document, ask one or more people to proofread your writing and check it for accuracy. , Whether you’re writing an email to your supervisor or updating your boss on the status of your latest assignment, your co-workers want access to the most up-to-date and clear knowledge possible.
If your colleagues know they can rely on you to provide specifics, they’ll come to you first with questions.It can be difficult to know how specific is specific enough.
Take a critical look at your interactions, and ask yourself whether you’re leaving your fellow workers with more questions than answers.
Don’t just say that a project is going well.
Instead, inform your manager that you’ve reached or exceeded your selling goals, and provide them with exact numbers. , The old adage that time is money applies to all profit-driven organizations.
Make sure your spoken and written communications impart information as quickly as possible.
While you should be sharing relevant details, do so without making your peers sift through unnecessary or redundant information.
Think about your audience and who needs what information.
Your boss may only be interested in the bottom-line results of your work, while co-workers at your own level may need to know the challenges you met along the way. , In today’s workplace, a large amount of communication occurs via email.
Respond to emails within one to two business days, and don’t let your inbox get backed up.
If your co-workers know they can rely on you for a quick response, they’ll be more likely to reach out with questions or comments.You should also find an efficient system for responding to calls and voicemails.
You don’t have to be available at all times or return calls right away.
However, you should designate a regular time for dealing with phone communications and be consistent about it. , If you have an important work-related conversation over the phone or in person, send a follow-up email or memo.
That way, you will have a written record of whatever was decided or discussed during the verbal conversation., If you don’t understand something, particularly if it’s something that pertains to doing your job, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.
For example, if your boss has just given you a complicated assignment and you are not sure you understand your instructions, ask about the specific parts of the process you need help with.
E.g., “Could you please tell me a little bit more about what I need to do after filing the report?”
About the Author
Stephanie Allen
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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