The DOs AND DON'Ts OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE

Effective communication is such an underrated skill in the workplace, but we shared the first part of this article here and we decided to include some practical aspects to it.

Here are 5 helpful dos and don’ts while communicating in a workplace:

Do keep it short and simple: Use simple terms when speaking and avoid unnecessary jargon. Prior to a meeting, do good research, get your facts and data right, and have a lucid message to avoid derailing from the purpose of the meeting so as not to lose people's attention. This also applies when writing emails and also remember to look out for typographical errors. 

Don’t interrupt or assume: Don’t assume people understand your point. Always try to explain every point as clearly as possible to avoid being misinterpreted. Also, don’t interrupt people when speaking as this can make them lose their train of thought.

Do learn how to take and give feedback: It’s important to learn how to give feedback so you don’t come off rude or disrespectful. Also, learn how to take feedback. Always know that each Feedback you receive helps for your self-improvement. Be conscious of timing also when giving feedback.

Don’t let personal feelings interfere at work: Be conscious of your body language and look out for any signs that can come off as you being antagonistic or that may cause discomfort to your listeners.

Do Understand your coworkers: Understanding the right words to use and what works best when speaking to top management and coworkers would help foster better collaboration. Listen carefully to help understand the best way to communicate and relate with each other.

Don’t overuse Technology in communicating: Excessive use of technology for communication in the workplace can make you disconnect from your coworkers. Creating a balance would help give a better understanding of who you are working with.

Do praise colleagues after a job well done: Learning to appreciate and praise your coworkers with the right words would help motivate them to do even better work. 

Don’t shout, or talk too fast or too slow: Pay attention to your tone of voice to ensure it’s not too loud as this can come off as being disrespectful. Always communicate at a normal pace, as talking too fast can make the receiver lose out on some vital information, and talking too slow can also make the receiver get bored with ease and lose concentration.

Do discuss delicate topics in private: Discuss sensitive or private issues with a few people within the organization. Especially when it affects your effectiveness at work or when you have problems with a task or coworker. Brainstorm ideas on how to solve the problem and execute it the right way.

Don’t discuss disputatious topics or participate in gossip: Controversial topics like politics, religion, vaccines, animal rights, and others can make your coworkers see you in a negative light and can lead to confrontation. Learn to work away from such topics. Also, it’s not right to speak ill of your coworkers behind their backs. Gossiping can make you lose trust in your coworkers. Just as a quote from Nicky Gumbel says, "A lot of problems in the world would be solved if we talked to each other instead of about each other.”

Remember, "The kinds of errors that cause plane crashes are invariably errors of teamwork and communication.” — Malcolm Gladwell