Have you ever wondered why, when people keep saying that we live in ‘an age of communication’, we

continue to have so many problems communicating effectively in the workplace?

Managers, supervisors and employees alike repeatedly say that they never get enough information -
that no-one ever tells them anything - or that they are always the last to find out when changes that
affect them are happening in the organization.

A key factor that emerges from studies of successful managers is that they have a regular and
meaningful communication process with their staff.

But we already have a company bulletin to tell everyone what is happening

Many companies have internal newsletters, newspapers or company bulletins but these written
communications can not be an adequate substitute for managers communicating directly with
employees. This is especially because written communication is all one-way. Developing two-way
communication can involve management presentations, meetings, consultative committees, discussion
groups, attitude surveys or training needs analyses.

Making a start

One way for you to start to improve your communication is to assess your communication skills. The
skills supporting good communication include knowing what medium to use (small group meetings, one-
to-one discussions, meetings of all employees, etc.), what information to communicate, how to assess
the climate for communication, what obstacles there are likely to be and much more.

Maybe I need some training?

While training can help, it is not the whole answer nor should it be the first step. It is also important that
you:

 plan for what is to be communicated, how and when it is to be done;

 evaluate what has been done before so that you can build on past successes (and avoid past
pitfalls);
 monitor your communication strategy to ensure it meets your objectives; and
 are flexible and adapt your approach in the light of experience.

Making it work

There is no fail-safe prescription to improve communication and give guaranteed results, but here are
some principles that will give your communication strategy a much greater chance of success:

1. Establish the need for each communication

The reasons for the communication, what you are going to communicate and what you expect
to gain from it must be clearly understood.

2. Develop the skills and awareness

Invest time and effort to improve your skills – even if you consider that they are already good.

3. Make it understandable

Make sure the information being communicated is clear to everyone. Communication efforts

often fail because those presenting information do not make it relevant to the people for whom
the information is intended.

4. Make sure it is two-way

 One-way communication fails because those delivering the message do not always know
whether it has been received or understood.

5. Communicate often

It may be a truism that management can never communicate enough, but communication
efforts are often ineffective because managers give a message only once and assume it is
understood.

6. Try different methods and styles

Different people absorb information in different ways, so it is necessary to present information

in different ways. The approaches may include: spoken, written, in small groups, individually or
using pictures and diagrams.

7. Monitor the effectiveness

Make sure that the messages you are communicating are getting through by including in your
strategy an assessment of effectiveness.

8. Maintain the effort

A communication strategy that starts with a blaze of glory but soon lapses because of a lack of
follow-up can do enormous damage to the credibility of future efforts.

If properly planned and delivered, communication will ensure that everyone understands what your
goals are, what their part in achieving them is and what they can do to make sure that the goals are
achieved. The time lost through lack of direction and misunderstandings will be dramatically reduced.

Workplace communications. It's the foundation of all work place relationships. When you
factor in the fact that most professionals spend at least a third of their time at work, being an
effective communicator becomes a core competency that everyone should work to improve.
Developing good communications and workplace relationships can often, however, be
difficult to achieve. Here are 7 simple communications rules to help you improve your
relationships with co-workers...and raise your quality-of-life-at-work.

 Observe boundaries. People have different comfort zones regarding their personal
space, inquiries about their personal lives, and their personal property that deserve
your respect. For example, a civil office relationship can quickly turn nasty if a
colleague's desk space is raided for candy without their permission.
 Fulfill commitments. The currency of most relationships is based on whether your
"word is your bond." In other words, be trustworthy. Follow through on your personal
and professional commitments to your colleagues. If your reputation at work is ever
on the line, your co-workers will be more likely to reserve judgment and grant you the
benefit of doubt...just when you need it the most.
 Respect time. Some people you work with are social animals who enjoy the banter
and casual conversation that goes on in every office. Others can live without it. Notice
the rhythm and ease that co-workers exchange pleasantries with you, and engage them
up to but not exceeding their comfort zones. When they get antsy or start glancing at
their watches, move on and let them get back to work.
 Pay attention. Many of us talk more than we listen. Practice active listening and learn
to process what is said and unsaid (i.e., consider a colleague's voice inflection, body
language, etc.) in order to improve the quality of your communication in the work
place. Is there an introvert in your midst? Someone who reflects first and then speaks?
 Ramp-up your listening and processing skills with these colleagues so that they know
their thoughts and feelings are appreciated and accepted.
 Avoid gossip. Those who talk about others will talk about you, too. When you or
others are being damned by faint praise, (it happens!), or falsehoods about you are
being spread like wildfire, you will want a colleague with the backbone to nip that
gossip in the bud. That means you have to walk away from gossip when you
encounter it, in spite of how appealing it may be.
 Ask questions. When in doubt, ask! Find out whether a colleague prefers to hit the
ground running or ease into the morning slowly. Ask your co-workers in the next
office whether they prefer a phone call, an email, or a face-to-face visit if you have a
quick question in the middle of the day. Then, demonstrate that you respect their
preferences by acting on them.
 Check-in. Listen to what your gut is telling you about your work place relationships.
If anything in your communication with a colleague feels out of order, check to see
how you can iron it out in order to get back on track with each other. Addressing
miscues and miscommunications in your work place relationships when they first
occur is much easier than waiting until the problem escalates into open hostilities.
Effective communication in the work place is vital to improving personal productivity
and attaining a high quality-of-life-at work. Strengthening your communications skills
and work place relationships takes both time and effort. And...it's worth it.

Jackie Jordan Davis is an executive coach who has been in private practice since 1997. Visit
[Link] for more information on the executive coaching, consulting and
communications training she offers for women in the workplace.

A friend of mine did a study on job applications on Monster, an internet site for job
seekers. Guess what the single most repeated phrase in the Qualification Requirement
was?
'Candidates with good communication skills'

He told me that almost no exception was made in any job category about the need for
good communication skills, in any industry. The most surprising aspect is that none of us
are taught any kind of communication skills anytime in school or college. To add to this,
it is marked always on a subjective scale. In effect, the importance of communication
skills has spread through the society not as an overt requirement, but a covert necessity.

This is what a North Carolina state university sponsored study had to say about the
importance of communication skills in work place:
"Communication skills were considered more important than either technical
knowledge...or computer skills."

 
We have mass communication and a few allied fields as a major in college. Most of
these studies are in the specialized level and only for those who want to build a
profession either in talking; writing or such things. It is high time everyone is given at
least the basic training so that each one of us can understand the implication and
importance of communication skills.

The articles are written to help you improve the way you communicate with others in your life.
Learn Defensive Communication Do you ever get the feeling you look like a punching bag to some people? Put a stop
to that before it becomes unmanageable.

How to Apologize You said the wrong thing or acted the wrong way; now you need to apologize, this article shows
you how.

If you are reluctant to apologize but others expect you to, you don't want to miss this related article: The Power of
Apologizing

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid when Negotiating a Pay Raise Read about the most common mistakes people make when
asking for a raise and how to avoid them.

Why do people bully. Is there a bully at your workplace? You may want to find out more about the verbally, and
sometimes physically, abusive person at work. Read about the reasons why people bully and how to deal with bullies
in the workplace.

Passive Aggressive Behavior and Communication. Is someone driving you crazy with their passive aggressive
behavior? This is the other side of the bully coin, except that the aggression is covert.

Talking with your Employees What can go wrong with downward communication and how to make it right.

Talking with your Boss This article discusses the potential pitfalls and solutions of upward communication.

On one hand, people argue that we are spending less face time and becoming distracted about real life and more focused on our
online lives.

Conversely, others argue that we are more connected than ever, that we live in a real time world, where global communities
continue to get formed and interact.

Managers and business owners may see technology as a means to improve productivity, employees may see technology as a threat
to job security.

Human communication is shaped by the technology that is available at any given time. People often ask if technology isolates
people or brings them closer. Technology does neither, it just transforms the way people communicate.

Information Technology and Human Communication - How do they coexist?

People will use technology as an enabler to communicate with those they want, and as a barrier to block out those they don’t want to
connect with. Think caller-id.

Information technology has helped satisfy some of people's social needs: the need for self expression, for connection with others, for
community and for recognition.

At the same time, technology has hindered human communication. One of most detrimental effects of technology on human
communication is that it reduced the quality and quantity of face time. The time and attention we spend in front of a screen, from a
computer screen to a Blackberry mini screen, is time and attention we don't give to people.

Computers and Human Communication

With the invention of the computer, communication in the workplace began a transformation that is still underway.

With computers, people began to be able to (1) share stored data and information and (2) produce printed materials with greater
ease. Initially, we envisioned a “paperless” world. But today's overflowing in-baskets and file cabinets tell us otherwise.

The ability to store information set us free to store ever growing amounts of documents, photographs, video, and audio files. I
remember buying my first IBM XT computer with a capacity to store 10MB of data. I thought then (1984): I'll never fill this up."
Today's personal computers have hundreds of gigabytes full of data.
Despite this data explosion, computers by themselves did not change how people communicate. Instead, computers became the
keystone for all other technologies that have transformed how people communicate.

Email Technology and Human Communication

Ever since email became widely adopted in the corporate world, several irreversible shifts in the way people communicate have
taken place. Those shifts include, among others: (1) The control over who communicates with whom has shifted a bit from strictly
following communication channels to more unexpected communication patters. (2)The burden of deciding on the importance of any
given piece of email, has shifted from sender to receiver.

As more people embraced email communication, another technological transformation took place. People began to use distribution
lists and online bulletin boards to form groups to share information with about subjects that mattered to them. Forums were the
beginning of collaborative tools that satisfied another human need: the need for community.

Online bulletin boards and forums were one of the precursors to today’s online social networks and collaboration tools.

Social Networking Technology and Human Communication

Social networks have fulfilled yet another human need: the need for self expression and recognition.
Some view social networks as a means of letting our narcissism run rampant. If taken to extreme, self-
expression could very well border on narcissism.

What follows is a collection of Social Networking articles that touch on various aspects of communication.

Tips for Effective Email Communication Email can be a great productivity tool and it can also be a big time waster. Read these tips
on how to make the most of email communication.

What is Twitter? People are hearing the word twitter in the context of online communication and wonder what it is. Click here to
learn what Twitter is and how to start tweeting (or twitting)

Is face to face communication relevant or has it been pushed aside by texting, social networking and cell phones?

What is Social Networking? and how it’s shaping the way people communicate.

Before you join an online social network, read about the cons of social networking websites. Dangers of Social Networking Sites?

Business communication, also called organizational communication, plays an important role in the success of a
company. The function of business communication includes sharing information and motivating workers. Development,
implementation, and promotion of effective communication techniques within an organization involve understanding
communication basics. Communication basics include the concepts of channel (method of communication), encoding
(the word choice you use in communicating your message), and decoding (how others interpret your message).

Read more: How to Develop, Implement & Promote Effective Communication Techniques |
[Link] [Link]
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Instructions

Things You'll Need:

 Company policies
  Communication channels

1. 1

Evaluate the situation and define your communication needs. For instance, you will want to establish a
communication system so your employees can request days off.

2. 2

Create policies to fit your communication needs. For example, to meet the scheduling needs of your employees
you can print "Request Off" forms for them to fill out and return to you.

3. 3

Promote company policies by publicizing them. This might include handing out rules and regulation booklets and
hanging up informative posters in your company's break room.

4. 4

Offer workers the opportunity to provide you feedback. According to leadership training organization Mind Tools,
feedback creates effective communication by increasing effectiveness and productivity of your organizational
communications.

5. 5

Evaluate feedback on a regular basis and make any necessary changes to improve your business's
communications

Read more: How to Develop, Implement & Promote Effective Communication Techniques |
[Link] [Link]
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