The Best Communication Skills for Workplace Success
This article comes from Entrepreneur.
The Best Communication Skills for Workplace Success
Here are seven essential communication skills every employee and boss needs to hone.
1. Showing respect
Being respectful of other people’s space and time is important – especially if you need to talk about a touchy subject. While we may not think of showing respect as a communication skill, it is, because respect comes down to how we talk and listen to people.
Avoid talking down to someone, this does not foment a positive environment at work. Respect the other person’s feelings and strengths and perspective.
2. Active listening
Active listening is an essential part of any job. Being a bad listener – such as someone who interrupts or doesn’t make eye contact when another person speaks to you – can compromise your positive at work. If you don’t listen well, you might not understand the full objective for a project or the tool you were just trained on.
3. Displaying positive body language
You may not realize it, but your body language communicates more than words. Be aware of the overall energy you emit with actions and movements. Are your arms crossed or do you avoid eye contact? If you do, try to correct these behaviors by uncrossing your arms and making eye contact.
4. Be willing to ask questions
When you’re a new employee at a company – or if you’re a recent college grad – you might be afraid of asking questions of co-workers or your managers. But the ability and willingness to ask questions is a crucial communication skill. Asking questions helps to clarify things at work, whether you are talking about a project or a problem with a co-worker.
5. Understanding email etiquette
In 2019, most of the communication we do is via email or another online platform. There’s always that one person who is too detailed and sends a novel back to you. Know how to break up an email, add bullet points, and be concise. Ask yourself, does the receiver need all of this information?
6. Remaining open-minded
Staying open-minded is a very important communication skill – especially for entry-level employees. If an employee is entry-level or new to their position, it’s important for them to be able to connect with their coworkers and understand the corporate culture of the organization.
Be open to new ways of doing this and don’t shut down if your new team members have a different process.
7. A willingness to give feedback
This communication skill is important for senior-level employees to help their employees and business to grow. This doesn’t always mean correcting mistakes, it could be commending someone for a job well done.
If you do need to correct a mistake, make sure to commend the employee first. This makes it easier to accept any negative feedback.
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