Effective Communication Skills

Miscommunication is common in social situations, but can have long lasting effects in the business world. Managers and supervisors would get better results from the team is they concentrated on creating clar communication channes with the team members.
Utilizing Style And Purpose In Business Communication, Imagine a situation when due to certain sudden external reasons you need to double your company’s output immediately. However, your managers are just not able to get the requisite work from the workers. The employees are not willing to put in any extra effort for the management or company for that matter and are more than satisfied in their present working situations. The result is monetary loss and damage to your reputation.
The key issue here is lack of communication between employer and employee.
External To Internal Communication
What we often tend to forget in a business communication strategy is the importance of internal communication. The entire focus is on external communication, wherein the managers and the firm is busy portraying an attractive picture to its external customers. However, in the end the outcome is a strong marketing side but a comparatively weak operational strategy.
Another important outgrowth of miscommunication is a negative grapevine. This unofficial communication channel if not managed effectively can be an important reason of increasing employee turnover and decreasing profitability.
Requirements
You must have effective communication channels in place both with your external and internal customers to ensure growth. The entire communication in the business domain should have a style and be for a purpose. No loose talk. Whatever is said or is communicated through actions must be carefully designed to ensure that it gets the work done in the requisite fashion.
Solution
An effective communication strategy and related result can be achieved by focusing on your target segment’s need. Your goals are important to them, but only to the extent that they benefit out of it. So to begin with, identify their need and communicate your goals their needs in mind.
Welcome Suggestions And Take Regular Feedback
This helps improve owner to worker relations and also acts as a vent for employees to put forward their comments in a systematic manner rather than in an unorganized and harmful.
Use Two Way Communication
Be willing to give your comments and make it a point to ensure that appropriate reactions reach down to the lowest level to minimize disagreements and dissatisfaction.
Employ A Common Channel Of Communication
Do not allow important messages to be wasted just because your language or medium cannot be deciphered the way you desire it to be by the target audience.
At the core of all business strategies lies the importance of implementation, which is not possible without an effective communication channel. Hence, to achieve the desired results in the most efficient manner it is crucial to communicate in style keeping the basic purpose and target segment’s desires in focus.
by David Gass
David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com

Receiving negative personal criticism is never easy. Here are some tips to help you manage it better when it occurs

Managing personal criticism

It is always discomforting to be on the receiving end of criticism. It hurts!
Ouch! But there are ways of managing your feelings when someone ‘has a go at
you’. 

1. Listen to understand: Listen with your ears, your eyes and your senses Engage your mind and disengage your emotions — pack them up (remember, YOU are in control of what you think and feel) Be flexible and accommodate another view of the problem or issue Evaluate, discriminate and judge the decision you
make

2. Don’t go into ‘defensive’ mode

3. Use an ‘I message’ — such as, “When I am just simply criticised I feel angry and hurt and disregard the information. However, I would welcome constructive feedback.”
by Lee Hopkins

When you match consumer psychology with effective communication
styles you get a powerful combination. At Hopkins-Business-
Communication-Training.com you can find the secrets to
communication success. At Hopkins we show you how to communicate
better for better business results.

www.hopkins-business-communication-training.com

This article identifies the types of negative communication that lead to conflict, and destroy team values.
Minimising conflict with effective communication

Did you know there are 5 types of communication that lead to conflict?

Let’s look at
them…

Definition of ‘Conflict’

It helps if we first define what we mean by ‘conflict’ 

Conflict is an expressed struggle between at least two parties, both of whom perceive interference from the other towards achieving their goals 

A conflict can only exist when both parties are aware of a
disagreement

The 5 types of negative communication that lead to conflict 

 Negative communication We all know a ‘Negative Nigel/Nancy’ in every team — they exist and we find it near impossible to remove them. But constant negativity drains the other team members of enthusiasm, energy and self esteem. So Nigel and Nancy need to be confronted with their behaviour. This can best be achieved if all of the other team members individually feedback the effect of this behaviour on them. 

An ‘I message’ is the best approach for this–such as, “Every time I put forth a suggestion your negativity frustrates me and I find it hard to work with you.” 

 Blaming communication 

Blamers spray blame around, effectively stopping reflection and scrutiny of their performance and behaviour. However, their impact can be reduced by fostering a learning environment, as well as the use of ‘I messages’, peer pressure and individual feedback. Find out what the blamer’s issues are and try to address them one by one. 

 Superior communication
‘

Superiors’ frequently order people about, direct, advise and moralise. They are also very skilled at withholding information. Such behaviour sets up team members for frustration, resentment and sabotage. But ’superiors’ and their behaviour can be addressed with individual assertiveness and ‘I messages’ *

Dishonest communication 

Dishonest communicators frequently fail to practice listening to understand and fail to display empathy. They also display circumlocutory communication — also known as ‘talking around the issue, not addressing it’. It’s kind of like casually wandering around the outside edge of a garden when what’s really required is to walk confidently through the middle of it. Dishonest communicators also often use royal or imperial ‘WE’ statements — as in, “We are not amused” - when in reality it is just they who are not amused. They also deliberately choose to not address unprofessional behaviour or behaviour that is damaging to the team and its mission. All of which leads to a dysfunctional team. But it can be addressed: everyone in the team must insist on open, honest communication, foster mutual respect, stop blaming, bullying and harassment. 

 Selective communication

 Selective communicators only tell what they think others need to know, hence keeping themselves in a position of power over the other team members. Such behaviour can be effectively addressed through assertive requests for having access to all the
information. The importance of a team’s values to communication There are negative team values that can actually sabotage good communication within a team. For
example: "As long as I do a good job that’s all that matters to me” undermines team cohesiveness and
co-operation. "Problems are the result of other people’s mistakes” is also
unhealthy. "If someone ’stuffs up’ it’s their problem” is really not helpful to
anyone. Such values induce competition, not co-operation and collaboration. These team values destroy
teamwork! 
by Lee Hopkins

When you match consumer psychology with effective communication
styles you get a powerful combination. At Hopkins-Business-
Communication-Training.com you can find the secrets to
communication success. At Hopkins we show you how to communicate
better for better business results.

www.hopkins-business-communication-training.com

Communication is an important aspect of building team. Here are five types of team building communication.

Positive team values 

There are 5 key values that aid co-operation and cohesiveness within a team: 

 We are all in this together The performance of the team is seen as more important than individual performance. Note that blaming styles of communication lead to individual performance becoming the paramount object, resulting in little or no team work. *

No member is more important than another When individuals consider themselves more important than another (’superior communication’) then communication breaks down and competition takes over. But when everyone is seen as an equal, communication is open and there are high levels of co-operation and collaboration. 

 Open, honest communication is essential When you are thinking of a reply, instead of really listening to the other, you are engaging in ‘dishonest communication’. Similarly, when you see something done that is not acceptable but you ‘are polite’ and ignore it you are equally being dishonest with your communication. There is no room for dishonest communication in teams. Open and honest communication requires the use of listening and empathy. Listening to understand gives us the other person’s perspective–it allows us to hear their experience. Empathy reduces the need to judge the behaviours and beliefs of others. By listening and empathising we model open and honest communication. 

 Everyone needs open access to information Information facilitates collaboration and co-operation, and effective decision-making requires all the information. Decision-making always has an element of uncertainty attached to it, but having all the information available makes the decision-making easier. 

We all need to focus on the team’s goals, aims and mission Without a clear and sustained focus minor distractions become major
blockages.

by Lee Hopkins

When you match consumer psychology with effective communication
styles you get a powerful combination. At Hopkins-Business-
Communication-Training.com you can find the secrets to
communication success. At Hopkins we show you how to communicate
better for better business results.

www.hopkins-business-communication-training.com

Effective communication in the business world is critical for productivity and profits. Without clear communication annd feedback, misunderstandings and errors will frustrate and impede the results that you are looking for.
How Important Is It To Streamline Communication

Today’s organizations must contend with increasingly complex communications environments that feature a wide array of communications methods. Employees, business partners, and customers communicate with one another through infinite combinations of phones, voice messaging, e-mail, fax, mobile clients, rich-media conferencing and other communication gadgets. One thing that is very important is proper communication. Whether you use the age-old snail mail or an email, the key to success lies in effective communication. One should get clear message as to what exactly is required or told by you. It is very important to streamline communication whether you are conversing in person or through an age-old snail mail, email or over the phone.

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