Effective communication skills are some of the most utilized and sought-after abilities in the workplace. They’re essential for leaders, team members, and individual contributors to hone.
In our largely remote and hybrid work environments, workplace communication differentiates between connected, agile teams and teams that fail to collaborate, stay aligned, and achieve common goals. Building trust within teams is critical, as it strengthens relationships and fosters effective communication at work.
The good news is that improving communication skills is easier than you might imagine. Here are some basic principles worth following to communicate effectively and become an effective communicator.
5 types of communication skills to develop
Whether you're in the office daily, managing from home, or in a hybrid workplace, you’ve likely encountered more than one type of communication. It’s essential to develop communication skills that span each type to ensure effective workplace communication. Here are five types of communication to focus on improving:
- Oral communication: Sharing thoughts through speech. Examples include presentations, one-on-one meetings, and virtual calls.
- Written communication: Expressing ideas via emails, hand-written notes, or signage.
- Nonverbal communication: Information conveyed through body language, facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice. Being mindful of nonverbal communication is crucial, as it affects how your message is perceived by others.
- Active listening: Receiving information attentively. Active listening involves not just hearing but fully engaging in the conversation without being preoccupied with your response.
- Contextual communication: Information shared with mutual, often unspoken, understandings of interpersonal relationships and the workplace environment.
What is effective communication?
An effective communicator not only conveys their message clearly but also actively listens to others. They can empathize with their audience, considering emotions and relationships that influence how the message is received.
This skill involves understanding the feedback provided by both verbal and non-verbal cues, such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language.
Good communication in the workplace allows for seamless collaboration between colleagues and strengthens relationships, helping to build trust among team members.
Regardless of the communication style, effective communication involves connecting with others. Think of it as a conversation that adapts and flows based on the real-time feedback you receive.
As a manager or leader, being mindful of your team members' emotions and how they interact with each other will help you improve communication and build trust within your team.
How to improve communication skills
The best messages are often simple. Effective workplace communication means conveying your message concisely while maintaining interest and ensuring all essential points are covered. Here are some tips for improving your communication:
1. Keep your audience in mind
Tailor your message to your colleagues and team members’ interests to naturally engage them. Being mindful of what matters to others will make them more invested in the conversation and help you build trust within your team.
2. Don’t use 10 words when one will do
Even the most engaged audience will lose interest if your message isn’t concise. Communicate effectively by keeping things simple and to the point. Remember, while you already know what you’re going to say, your colleagues are hearing it for the first time.
3. Consider the best method to deliver your message
If your message isn’t urgent, consider sending an email or memo. Written communication gives employees time to review and reflect. It also allows them to follow up with questions if needed and serves as a permanent record.
4. Engage team members in conversations
Whether you’re a manager, coach, or mentor, one of the best ways to engage others is by involving them in the conversation. Ask for their input, as this not only sharpens their communication skills but also fosters stronger workplace communication.
5. Leverage face-to-face communication when possible
When it comes to conveying important messages, face-to-face communication adds multiple layers of depth. Facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice provide real-time feedback that’s invaluable for ensuring your message is understood. These nonverbal communication cues are critical for fostering empathy and interaction between colleagues.
6. Make eye contact
In face-to-face communication, eye contact helps gauge whether your message is landing. It’s one of the best ways to check if someone is listening attentively or if their mind is wandering. Eye contact can convey confidence and engagement, signaling that both parties are fully present in the conversation.
7. Ask for feedback
Feedback is essential for improving communication skills. After conveying your message, ask your colleagues to repeat it back in their own words to confirm understanding. This practice can help minimize misunderstandings and improve retention. Effective communicators ask questions not only to clarify but to demonstrate empathy and understanding.
8. Read non-verbal cues
There are various types of nonverbal-cues. Body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice are powerful indicators of how your message is received. Adjust your message accordingly to keep your audience involved if you notice signs of confusion, disengagement, or discomfort. Being an effective communicator means being mindful of how others respond to your words, especially through nonverbal communication.
9. Minimize distractions
When speaking to others, be mindful of the environment. Eliminate distractions like electronic devices or background noise to ensure that everyone stays focused on the conversation. This is especially important in meetings where workplace communication can be easily derailed.
How to improve online communication
Online communication presents its own set of challenges. Here are some tips to help convey your message effectively in virtual settings:
1. Stick to a time limit
Online meetings can be more prone to distractions, so it’s important to keep conversations brief and to the point. Follow up with asynchronous communication methods, like email, to minimize lengthy Q&A sessions and ensure that others have time to review key points.
2. Be mindful of the other person
Generally, the person presenting is the only one who can give the meeting their full attention. Especially when working from home, assume that participants have multiple demands for their attention and structure the content accordingly.
3. Recap important details
Due to the lack of non-verbal cues in online meetings, make sure to recap key points at the end of the conversation. This helps reinforce your message and ensures that all participants are on the same page.
4. Acknowledge messages
In virtual settings, it's easy for messages to go unnoticed. Make sure to acknowledge each communication, even if it's informal. A quick “got it” or “thank you” goes a long way in keeping the conversation going and building trust with others.
5 extra tips to sharpen your communication skills
In general, if you’re looking to strengthen your communication skills, here are some final tips that will help you in any scenario:
- Be approachable. When colleagues feel comfortable approaching you, communication flows more easily. Make sure your tone and body language are welcoming to encourage open conversations and build trust.
- Be patient. Not everyone communicates in the same way. Take the time to understand your colleagues’ communication styles and be patient when listening to them. Being an empathetic listener helps foster positive relationships and improve communication at work.
- Be self-aware. Recognize that developing good communication skills takes time. Being mindful of your tone, voice, and non-verbal cues can significantly enhance how others perceive your message.
- Check for understanding. Asking for feedback is a great way to confirm that your message has been understood. Don’t hesitate to invite questions or clarifications to ensure everyone is aligned. Effective communicators always check in with their audience to ensure clarity.
- Switch out the messenger. Encourage your team members to take the lead in discussions and meetings. This helps them develop their communication skills and fosters a culture of effective workplace communication. Leaders who encourage others to communicate contribute to a strong communication culture within their team.
How to be a better active listener
Part of knowing how to communicate better is learning how to listen better.
There is much talk about the beauty of active listening, but many people aren’t sure how it translates into actual behaviors. One of the main challenges to active listening is the preoccupation with a response. Many people are busy formulating a perfect answer, which leaves no bandwidth to engage with the input. To get out of this habit, which is not really in service of the speaker, consider the following steps.
Rethink how to add value
You may think that adding value to an exchange is mostly about what you say. But that is not always how others perceive it. Most of us value responses that help us think through our own ideas, that clarify our assumptions or point out possible blind spots. We often don’t need a listener to be brilliant or impress us with their own data. Instead, we may value most how they helped us sharpen our thoughts.
Paraphrase without judgment
If you find yourself preoccupied with responding, try changing the focus of your response. Instead of aiming to add your own thoughts, task yourself with giving a summary that withholds your opinion or judgment. As you listen, make it your goal to give a concise summary, perhaps clarifying the speaker’s initial language.
Bonus points for repeating sticky language that the speaker recognizes as their own (“so you were frustrated with the project because the deadline was an uncomfortable high?”)
Ask questions that help speakers think
The next step from paraphrasing is to ask questions that move the needle. Much like the way a coach listens, these questions push speakers to go deeper into their own thinking, to clarify their expression or consider possible concerns. You can play devil’s advocate by pointing out inconsistencies or language that seems unclear. All of these are true gifts to a speaker and help you stay focused on listening.
Interrupt politely
Active listening isn’t mindless indulgence, and not all interruption is rude. Sometimes speakers get lost in the weeds, providing depths of detail you don’t need. Interruption can help them stay relevant – and be rewarded with more engagement.
Most speakers don’t mind being cut off by a question that lets them keep talking. Much harder, especially for introverts, is to interrupt someone in a meeting and end their floor time. Be sure to:
- Validate the speaker (“Thank you for bringing that up.”)
- Use a warm and polite tone. Get feedback from others on how you sound and come across.
- Refer to shared interest (“I’d just like to make sure we get to hear from everyone about the project.”)
Final thoughts on effective communication strategies
As a leader or manager, you have the power to shape how your team members communicate. Providing them with communication tools, such as feedback opportunities and coaching on body language and tone, can improve communication across the workplace.
Effective communication is essential for collaboration and achieving common goals. Whether it's through verbal exchanges, written messages, or non-verbal cues, taking the time to communicate effectively will benefit your entire organization.
Building effective communication skills takes practice, but the long-term impact is worth it. When you convey your message clearly, actively listen to others, and engage in meaningful conversations, you contribute to a more connected and successful workplace.
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