Five Smooth Steps to Better Communication

It has now been a full month of school for my daughter. Daily, her backpack is filled with popsicle stick and glue contraptions, a sticky lunchbox and somewhere near the bottom, classwork she has completed for Mom to see and sign. I’ve noticed, however, that all the worksheets are completed in crayon. We use pencils in our house, so I was concerned. Turns out, not all students know how to properly handle a pencil…in fact, many have never held anything more than a crayon. So, in an effort to properly communicate correct usage of a pencil – to fine tune those motor skills, the teacher starts everyone with crayons and gradually works up to the pencil.

Isn’t it amazing that even at that level, knowing your audience and how to communicate to them is an essential function to overall success. I think that skill is overlooked in our small business community.  Small business owners come in all shapes and sizes, sole proprietors to corporations, all with different skill sets and levels of education.  However, the clients we all seek are expecting a certain level of professionalism regardless of your background.  Effective communication skills, in my opinion, is the biggest contributor to the success of a business.  Your communication skills shape the impressions you make on your colleagues, employees, investors, and customers.

Communication goes beyond verbal and written.  It also includes the nonverbal cues you give and the attitude in which you work with internal and external workgroups and customers.  The message you send out must be open, honest, and targeted to the correct audience in a manner in which they understand it and can internalize it.

Consider these five steps to effective communication:

1. Create an environment within your business for open communication. Your staff, vendors, or customers should not be afraid to come to you or their managers with concerns or suggestions.  Your customers shouldn’t feel as if it’s a waste of time to contact you in fear of being ignored.
2. Carefully study your staff and customers.  Know what methods of communication work best. Some respond faster to email, others voicemail. Know your audience and attempt to meet them where they are with a clear and concise message.
3. Be ethical. Know the difference between what you have a right to say or do and what is the right thing to say or do.  All communication, both internal and external, should be respectful.
4. Stay updated on the latest communication tools.  There are many tools available today that make communicating both internally and externally easier to receive and deliver.
5. Educate yourself. Take an honest self-assessment. If you need to improve your business communication skills, one would only have to look as far as their area community college. Many offer courses in Business Communication skills.

Developing effective communication skills takes work. It doesn’t come naturally to everyone. But, it is essential to success. Take the time to assess yourself and your intended audience and deliver a clear message that demonstrates professionalism and expertise in your field.

*Support Local Businesses:  Julie Zaloba Consulting, LLC.  (Business Research, Project Management, Business Development) Email – jzaloba@comcast.net