Four Ways To Improve Communication At Work

p style=font-weight: normal;Each person must learn the art of genuine communication. It takes coaching and practice to do it well. Authentic communication requires that you be truthful, open and deliberate in what you say as well as in how you listen and respond to what others say. This tool describes four skills that will help leaders communicate authentically./p
pstrongSpeak From Your Own Viewpoint/strong/p
pThe best leaders share their opinions frankly. They do not try to conceal their concerns. One good way is to personalize your comments, taking responsibility for your positions, opinions and values, rather than offering generalizations or blaming others or outside forces. Say, ldquo;I feel disappointed about our progress,rdquo; rather than, ldquo;This group is the pits.rdquo;/p
pThe advantage of this approach is that it reduces defenses by not placing general or even specific blame on others. Nobody can assert that you are not concerned or that you are more hopeful that you are willing to show. I prefer to start at nine exactly is unambiguous; You are late again! You hold us up every weekrdquo; is guaranteed to provoke a defensive reaction./p
pAnother way people hide their real positions is by burying them in questions. ldquo;Are you planning to make that statement in public? is a way of assailing the listening, not gathering information. I would prefer you not say that in your presentation is a negative statement, but it clearly recognizes that this is your opinion and not absolute./p
pDoes it feel like fault-finding? It isnt really. The greatest contrast is in the response you look to elicit from your audience./p
pstrongAdjust Your Communication Style/strong/p
pEveryone has natural communication style. The styles of communication can be empirically broken down into four classes: Directors, Expressers, Thinkers, and Harmonizers. The Straight Talkreg; ua href=http://www.communicationsurvey.net/strongcommunication survey/strong/a/u will help you to discover your communication style, as well as the styles of others. nbsp;You will also find pointers to help you make your communication more effective and balanced./p
pWhen you know your communication style, you will be able to tell what strategies will let you communicate into someones listening space. Directors, want only the essential information, the quick summary. Expressers want a more complete exploration of the various thoughts and proposals. Thinkers want to hear the detailed thinking behind a proposal. And Harmonizers want to understand the impact of any proposal on people./p
pThose who adjust their tone to suit their listeners are the best communicators. By tailoring their style, they help people relax and feel more receptive to what theyrsquo;re saying. This helps them be more effective leaders and managers. When it is called for, they also point out differences in style to lower tension and alleviate the misunderstandings that can arise from different styles of communication. This does a great deal to build trust./p
pstrongUse Powerful Listening/strong/p
pPowerful listening is an active skill. An effective listener doesnt only pay attention to a speakers words, but searches out the point of view that lies beneath them. Powerful listeners pick up on the subtle intonation, facial expressions and context, then they reply in a way that shows they have understood the speakers intent as well as his or her actual words. They listen to understand, not just to figure out how theyrsquo;re going to make their argument./p
pOne way to be sure you understand exactly what the speaker means, and to communicate your understanding, is by reflecting back to the speaker what you believe he or she is saying. Paraphrasing means more than repeating their words. It means restating the speakerrsquo;s position in your own words, taking into account the non-verbal signs you see and the tone of voice you hear./p
pTo introduce a paraphrase, you might say It sounds as if . . .rdquo; or ldquo;I can see that . . . Paraphrasing is the best way to give an encouraging reply in spite of the fact that you dont agree. If you can echo the speakers position, the speaker will know that, even though the two of you disagree, you respect him enough to listen attentively./p
pParaphrasing lets the speaker make his or her position clearer, as well. He may say: ldquo;Yes, thatrsquo;s it.rdquo; Or he may respond: ldquo;You know, let me clarify a bit.rdquo; That sets the stage for a deeper conversation ndash; one in which you can play the role of facilitator./p
pDont forget that 60 percent of communication doesnt use words. That is, if you only listen to a speakers words, you disregard more than half of the conversation./p
pItrsquo;s not enough to listen; you also must show that you are listening. Keep eye contact, sit forward, nod, use phrases of agreement such as, I see, and Um-hum,; it can also be useful to take notes when the situation allows. Donrsquo;t glance at your watch, focus on outside events, wear your dark glasses, cross your arms and lean back, watch TV, or wave to other people. Instead, teach yourself to focus entirely on the communication at hand./p
pstrongMake Your Communication Data-Driven/strong/p
pData-driven communication requires that you do two things:/p
pFirst, you bring your assumptions into the open. ldquo;I assume that wersquo;re going to experience the same downturn in the economy everyone else in our industry is experiencing.rdquo;/p
pNext, you seek out missing facts. You inquire: Does anybody have facts that would help me make my assumptions more accurate?rdquo;/p
pWhen your communication is data-driven, you seek to bring other peoples assumptions and concerns into the conversation. You ask: ldquo;Help me understand your thinking. What you assume will being to manifest itself?rdquo;/p
pWhen yoursquo;re data-driven, you make sure you bring issues to the table. If theres an exchange in the hallway that is relevant, you share it with everyone. If yoursquo;re experiencing confusion or discomfort, you let people know (recognizing that if yoursquo;re experiencing it, others are likely to be experiencing it, too). If therersquo;s an issue you feel you canrsquo;t raise without suffering some grave consequence, you consult the chair or someone else in a position to help you develop a strategy./p
pWhen yoursquo;re data-driven, you use concrete examples and specifics to help people get on the same page. You donrsquo;t get mired in generalities; you introduce specific cases that help people understand whether yoursquo;re talking about a 2% increase in spending ndash; or a 20% increase./p
pFinally, when yoursquo;re data-driven, you stay humble. You assume that you donrsquo;t see things perfectly. You solicit other peoples opinions. You are aware that human beings can fall prey to the ldquo;assumption of competence.rdquo; You appreciate that people who assume they are competent are usually the least competent among us./p
pA significant body of research shows that ldquo;the assumption of competencerdquo; is highest among those who are least competent in a variety of activities./p
pstrongDid you find this information useful? Looking for more concrete illustrations and example cases?/strong Obtain your copy of Eric Douglas new ua href=http://www.leadingatlightspeed.com/strongleadership book/strong/a/ustrong for/strong ua href=http://my.leadingresources.com/links/buy-lals/lvstrongLeading at Light Speed/strong/a/u. This is an essential manual for leaders and groups that want to increase innovation, performance, and build trust./p