Are you a good communicator, or is your communication style undermining your work and workplace relationships? We often overestimate our communication skills, and for good reason, most of us have been communicating in one form or another since before we were a year old.

However, successful workplace communication that conveys the right message and inspires confidence requires more than just talking. It’s a set of interconnected skills that need to be learned and refined to be effective. Every breakdown in workplace communication stems from a failure in one of three main areas. Let’s explore them now.

One – The purpose of communication is clarity

In the age of email and instant messaging, it’s easy for us to dash off a flurry of messages, thinking we’ve communicated efficiently and effectively. But effective communication isn’t measured by what’s said; it’s measured by how well it was understood.

Good communication conveys a desired outcome, context (including background information, deadlines, and priorities), and why it matters. That might seem like overkill for most of the emails and Slack messages you send, but it’s good to build the habit on the easy stuff, so nothing falls through the cracks when it matters. And, for instances when it does matter, you should rule out ambiguity by confirming your recipient’s understanding.

Clarity also encompasses what we choose not to say and whether we have consistent messaging. Withholding information doesn’t have to be a Machiavellian power move. I’ve worked with managers who omitted crucial information because it didn’t seem necessary to them, and they didn’t want to overwhelm the employee. Still, unbeknownst to them, that extra bit of context was sorely needed.

And we’ve all said one thing to our staff and then “massaged” the message when delivering it to the board or a major donor. However, we don’t always stop to consider the impact of inconsistent messaging on trust and morale. Transparency is a crucial component of clarity.

Our increasingly hybrid worlds are full of digital overload, and clarity can be the difference between success and burnout. Build clarity into your communication practice and watch confusion, frustration, and even burnout begin to disappear.

Two – Good communication requires feedback loops

You’ve likely heard somebody say that being a good communicator requires being a great listener. That’s true, but it’s only scratching the surface.

Bad communicators are stuck in broadcast mode, only sending information and accepting little feedback. Being receptive, even welcoming, to feedback is the hallmark of a strong leader. And, organizations work much better when employees feel comfortable sending feedback back up the chain.

However, a feedback loop requires multi-directional communication. Being open to feedback is a good start, but delivering feedback is equally important.

I’ve worked at organizations with no formal feedback mechanisms in place. Performance evaluations and 360 reviews seem like a drag, but they provide much-needed clarity and direction.

Not knowing what your peers or supervisor think of your performance until something goes wrong doesn’t present many opportunities for improvement. It can also leave you feeling disconnected from the bigger picture.

Managers avoid giving feedback for several reasons, and not just because it feels uncomfortable. In our organizations, where there are numerous competing priorities, communicating feedback—whether positive or constructive—is often set aside. However, feedback is crucial to engaging, connecting with, and developing our team members.

Begin by seeking opportunities to provide positive feedback. That old idiom that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar applies to the workplace, too. The nice thing about giving positive feedback is that you can do it almost anywhere. In fact, it can be more effective when done in public.

Then, work on providing constructive feedback as well. I say “constructive” because negative feedback (which often focuses on a person’s character and not the behaviour) rarely has the desired effect. Giving constructive feedback should be unemotional, focusing on the behaviour, its impact, and how things can be improved.

We want to improve, and we want our people to improve, and feedback is a catalyst for that improvement. And it isn’t just about performance, but also trust. Feedback signals that we care enough to seek out that improvement.

Three – Good communication involves emotion, but isn’t ruled by it

We’ve mistakenly tied good communication to emotional expression. We see enthusiastic speakers and think that to be a good communicator, you have to be expressive. Woe to all of us who are naturally introverted.

But, in the workplace, the rousing fist-pumping speeches that convey deep passion tend to fall flat. We’ve all been there and had a manager blow up (or maybe been that manager), only to have everyone taken aback. The motivated cheers and applause give way to a collective concern that somebody is overdue for naptime.

Emotional control, especially when it comes to negative emotions such as anger or frustration, is one of the most challenging aspects of communication. It creeps into our tone of voice when we give or respond to feedback. Or when a team member delivers bad news.

And our emotional responses in these situations can make or break how our team feels being around us, and each other. That’s why the most crucial emotion to cultivate as a leader is measured vulnerability. I know, that’s not really an emotion, but it is how you should express them.

Verbalize and name your emotions instead of feeling them outwardly. Name them, address them, but don’t let them dictate how you communicate. That’s how we can share our emotions without jeopardizing our professional relationships.

For instance, saying “I’m frustrated this project is off track, but I want to understand what’s holding us back,” models honesty without hostility.

Being a good communicator is a lifelong practice and a skill that everyone should pursue. Good communicators have the ability to build strong relationships and maximize their benefits at work and beyond. Good communication is more than just talking or even listening; it requires discipline to communicate clearly, build feedback loops, and maintain emotional awareness and control.

Adam has over 17 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, motivating small teams to accomplish the seemingly impossible. Now he helps nonprofit leaders resolve team issues and boost morale by encouraging people to communicate and work openly together. If you think your team needs help and don’t know where to start, check out his free DRIVE framework for getting teams back on track.

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