Five Simple Strategies to Improve Communication
As I ponder the importance communication plays in our daily lives, I am reminded of a quote by George Bernard Shaw: ‘The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place’. Wow, no wonder we walk away from some interactions wondering ‘what just happened?’. Communication is important in our everyday lives, in the interactions we have with people, both personally and professionally. It could be argued it is the single most important aspect in the successful delivery of a project. However, it goes deeper than that. It is the entire basis of human existence, without it, would we still be living in caves? Please allow me to expand on how important communication is to business, and in particular, project management.
The basic mechanics of communication includes a sender, a receiver (or multiple receivers) and finally, the message
Generally speaking, most communications fall into the formal and informal category. At Insentra, we have a monthly ‘All Hands’ meeting where our CEO, Ronnie Altit, communicates what’s been happening, what is in the pipeline and many other great topics. Last month he focused on the value of gratitude and being grateful, not just in the workplace, but in our everyday lives. It’s an awesome time to come together and celebrate our successes over the last period and shout out the amazing work our teams are doing. James Humes writes, “The art of communication is the language of leadership”, Ronnie, you smash it!
Many formal communications are slower than their informal counterparts. For example, you are invited to a meeting I am hosting and minuting. After it has wrapped up, I review what was discussed, distribute the meeting minutes and hope everyone reads it and responds in some way. Informal communications might take place in the office around the coffee machine, a spontaneous phone call or instant message, and may reap rewards quickly and on the spot. Informal communication can also build solidarity and help team members create a sense of belonging. Side note, we have an awesome coffee machine at Insentra named Franke… just saying!
Below are my five points to remember when communicating, which may make transactions smoother and less open to errors in interpretation:
1. Speak To Your Audience
When communicating your point use language which is considerate of the group and allows for easy understanding. If you are in a technical meeting you can use technical jargon and assume the team understands what you’re saying. Using acronyms in an internal status meeting may be okay but may not translate appropriately in meetings with non-technical people, executives or other key stakeholders. If you want your message to get across, you need to tailor your language, content and context to the specific audience.
2. Actively Listen
Practice active listening by not thinking about what you’re going to say next; pause and listen to what other people are saying. We can all tell when a person is thinking of their next line and not paying full attention. Respect your conversation partner and hear them out. What they are saying may even change the course of the conversation and you may miss it. It’s ok not to have an answer or response straight away, ask another question to delve deeper and be present as the exchange takes place. I promise you, your relationships will benefit! Check for non-verbal visual clues like body language and facial expression as this is an indication of how the audience is responding to the information you’re delivering. Even when speaking in front of a large group, people are communicating with you through non-verbal means, like eye contact, yawning, looking out the window. As Dan Oswald observed, “Communication must be HOT, that’s Honest, Open and Two-way!”
3. Remove Distractions
My husband and I often notice couples sitting together, both on their phones, either texting or looking on one of the multiple social media platforms and not truly present.. I am sure it kills intimacy with one blow. The same occurs in meetings and intra-office conversations. When in meetings give your full attention, engage and interact. You have been invited because you’re important to the conversation. People feel the need to respond immediately when an email or a text comes in. It seems we have created a culture where we are ‘on’ 24/7 and to be honest technology, and the world in general is getting crazier and faster. Don’t perpetuate this phenomenon. At Insentra, we believe it is important to respond to emails during the same day, however, it does not mean in the next two nanoseconds. It is important to respect and value the time of the people we are currently engaging with. So put away your phones, stop typing and engage!
4. Preparation
The adage “fail to prepare, then prepare to fail” is still as true today as it ever has been. Review what you need to say, think about what you want to achieve through the interaction and try to anticipate any questions which may arise. I feel more prepared and I am able to get answers to any questions I have and once the meeting is over, I review, amend and shoot out the summary of what was discussed. Another great tool is the use of presentations, like PowerPoint, which provides a visual representation of what is being discussed. I mean, let’s face it, some of us are visual learners- give me pictures any day! At Insentra we make it a common practice to include an Agenda in every meeting invite. Having an Agenda gives the participants a heads up on what we will be discussing and enables them to come prepared.
5. Do’s and Don’ts of Written Communications
Ensure the subject line of an email provides a summary of what the email is about. It alerts the reader to the priority of the content and indication of what is contained. I like to place the name of the project at the start as it makes sorting email so much more efficient. Edit, re-read, edit and edit again. When sending a communication to executives and key stakeholders it is important to re-read your work. I suggest re-reading after taking a small break from the comms, as this helps highlight any errors in grammar which can easily be overlooked. It is not advisable to send lengthy emails where the same can be said in fewer words. People are busy, inboxes are out of control and when consuming the content of an email, a lot is lost if it is long and repetitive. Oh, and did I mention, please don’t be repetitive. Try to address emails in chunks throughout the day, not as they come into your inbox, to avoid breaking concentration, and what can be quickly resolved with a phone call, perhaps should be.
Basic communication between two or more people requires a certain level of understanding and assumption. However, it is the responsibility of the person trying to communicate the idea to encode the message in a way the receiver can decode easily and successfully. If you are using jargon or acronyms you shouldn’t just assume your message is getting across. Be respectful and kind when communicating difficult topics, make sure you relate your message to suit your audience. In the end, the objective is to convey a message to get stuff done, not about ego or making people feel small. So don’t do that, be an adult and communicate respectfully. Remember to value your audience and the time they have given to you, don’t waste it… we can all make more money, but we can’t make more time. Time is a precious and diminishing commodity.
Until next time, happy and healthy communicating!
