Business Communication | Mike McRitchie | Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writer

When people usually think of pursuing professional success, they usually think of the end goal and the performance metrics along the way. This is especially the case when running or managing a business. However, one crucial aspect is nearly always overlooked; the way we communicate. Developing excellent communication skills is one of the most important things that any business leader could do, because it helps to connect people and to introduce new ideas so that real meaningful changes can take place. Many people also think that the way we communicate cannot be altered or improved. However, there are several things that you can do today to improve the way you communicate with others. Here we will explore some of the most useful steps that will definitely help you do that.

Preparation is key

Most of the communication that you will ever do has already happened in your mind subconsciously. When people usually say ‘I can’t think of the right thing to say’, they usually think that they have to actively construct ideas in the moment. However, this process of creating ideas should always happen ahead of time. This can be done through reading, watching and listening to very specific content and information that is going to be relevant for the event or a situation where one will be required to speak. However, it is important to understand that preparation doesn’t mean that you should memorize everything you are going to say ahead of time, this is just not how our brains are wired to work. The key is to allow the flow of ideas. You simply want to feed your mind with new snippets of information that you can call upon within the conversation. However, when you are conversing with someone you cannot actively focus on finding those ideas, because this will create a mental block. Simply, focus on the person or the audience that you are talking to and the ideas will start to pop up in your mind with ease.

Listen actively

Many people lose the potency of their speech simply because they are in a constant state of control, this makes it difficult for others to talk to you, because when you are trying to craft the best outcome, you are simply not listening to what others are trying to say. The words and the noise are there, but you are not fully aware of the ideas that they are trying to convey. When it is your time to respond or follow up, you produce uncharismatic and difficult-to-follow statements that lead nowhere. At best you will confuse the other party, but in most cases, you will simply lose their attention and respect. In order to skyrocket your communication skills, you should practice listening to others. This doesn’t have to be too difficult either, because people do not focus on every single word that someone utters, but rather, they focus on the overall delivery. So, make sure you pay attention to your tone and body language.

Prioritize clarity

Once it is your time to respond and you have attentively followed the thread of the entire conversation you want to deliver your response as clearly as possible. A lot of the clarity in your speech comes down to the choice of words. And it is not just about the quality or the quantity of words when viewed in isolation, but about the correlation of those two parameters. You want to use more specific higher-quality words that will lead to you using fewer words in total. The way you produce your speech also matters, and if you want to improve the way you sound you can practice with professional speech therapy experts. This will give you a holistic improvement for the way in which you communicate.

Pay attention to your body language

Since people do not register speech on a word-per-word basis it is worth taking a look at the bigger picture. A lot of our communication happens non-verbally. This is not to say that we give off more information using our hands and facial expressions, but rather, that we can greatly enhance or even undermine the potency of speech. For instance, if you want to deliver a very powerful and persuasive message, but you are standing slouched forward with your hands across your mouth, you will be misperceived and lose all credibility. However, if you pull your shoulders back and project your voice from your diaphragm with an upright posture, you will command respect.

Give your speech a certain flavor

In addition to that, a lot of the language is modulated through conversational implicatures. This serves as an overarching component, which alters the way in which we speak. For instance, many people are well aware of sarcasm in spoken language, however, such tone should be used carefully in written formats, where sarcasm can create outrage if not perceived well.

When improving your communication skills, it is important to take a holistic approach and to realize that you can use different modalities to convey your thoughts. Make sure to prepare well and supply your brain with the relevant ideas. Be mindful of others when speaking and try to genuinely listen; this will make you more charismatic. Try to get your point across clearly and concisely, and do not overlook the benefits of good body language and attentive adjustment of your tone.

The Importance Of Effective Communication In Business

Effective communication is essential for all aspects of running a successful business. It helps to build trust between team members, increase productivity, ensure clarity on tasks and objectives, create better customer relationships and even increase revenue. Here are some ways that effective communication can help your business succeed:

Increased Productivity:

When everyone understands their roles and responsibilities within the organization, and there is effective communication among team members, employees are more likely to work efficiently and productively. With clear instructions from management and open dialogue with co-workers, tasks can be completed more quickly as issues are dealt with immediately instead of causing bottlenecks throughout the workflow.

Improved Customer Relationships:

Good communication skills are essential for creating positive customer relationships. Customers expect a certain level of service when dealing with companies, and good customer service requires strong communication skills to understand customer needs and explain products or services accurately without overcomplicating things. By creating a culture where customer service representatives feel comfortable speaking up when problems arise or suggesting ideas on how to provide better service, you can improve customer satisfaction levels, leading to increased sales opportunities down the line.

Higher Revenue:

When customers feel that their needs are being met through good communications with your company, they will be willing to spend more money on products or services from you than from competitors who don’t offer such great customer service experiences. Having an established system for collecting feedback from customers also ensures that you know what changes need to be made in order to make them more likely to purchase from you again in the future.

Better Employee Engagement

Strong communication also increases employee engagement, as employees who feel that their voices are heard and respected by management will be more motivated to do their best work. This can help retain talent within the organization and even attract new talent to join your team based on positive word-of-mouth referrals from existing employees. If you feel that your business communication skills could be improved for the well-being of your employees, take a look at this article by Tranell Morant. Here he explains how your business can improve its communication efforts to ensure employee satisfaction.

Conclusion:

It’s clear that having effective communication strategies in place is important for achieving success in any business setting. Good communication skills are essential whether you’re working in a team environment or leading a company. And there are many strategies that businesses can implement to improve their communication skills and create a more collaborative culture where strong communications can thrive.