Last week we talked about how almost every problem in life can be traced back to a communication issue. The cost of ineffective communication is high. If we could just improve those skills life would be better. Below are some tips to help us communicate better.
- Listen to me! – If you really want to communicate better, you have to listen too. Find out what other people are thinking; not only is that the polite thing to do but it also enables you to find out what people do not understand or what the resistances are to what you are saying.
- Dial it Down - You should speak to others as you wish them to speak to you, without arrogance, hostility or sarcasm. Speak with authority, having thought out your words; you will be much more credible.
- Face to Face – If you are experiencing some personality conflicts in your department or company, (or relationship),don’t try to work it out electronically. Email is great but not for solving those types of problems. The ability to read body language, facial expressions, intonation, etc. makes person-to-person communications work and work well. It can also change the tone of a relationship. Think about how a long e-mail or phone call relationship took on a new dynamic after you met someone in person for the first time. You may never meet that person again but the relationship will always be warmer, more comfortable…and, well, better.
Email can be a good thing but...
I’m certainly not suggesting we abandon e-mail and IM, which would be a big mistake because they can be valuable and extremely useful tools. But I do think that we can communicate better, and that stepping away from the keyboard is a good way to start. So rather than e-mail or IM someone, why not meet them for coffee/beer or, at least, give them a call?
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