Six Tips for Better Communication

Today we have more ways of reaching out to people and communicating with them than ever before, however it seems that our communications have become more muddled rather than clearer. We can see examples of this everywhere we look from our President to the texts we use daily.

As a business leader, it is imperative that your messages are delivered clearly and precisely to your teams and your customers. You need to understand the best way to deliver each message in order to make sure people are receiving it and not misunderstanding you. This particularly applies to written communications but can also apply to spoken communications. Remember the cues are more easily misinterpreted in written communication than is spoken.

Here are some tips for improving your communications;

1. Know what you want to say. We don’t communicate well if we send mixed messages or unclear thoughts. Clarify the concepts you want to get across first before you move forward.

2. Know your audience and choose the best communication method to reach them. You would not use an artists brush to paint a room. Choosing the right tools makes the job easier. Likewise choosing the best communication method makes your communications clearer. You would use a different method of delivering a message to your team than you would to your clients. Sometimes you need a record of your communication and E: Mail would work better than a text. Maybe you need to use a blog to get more info across that a pop-up ad won’t deliver. Bottom line is to use the best tool to reach your audience and convey your thoughts.

3. Be precise in your language. If you want to get a clear message out you need to remove ambiguity from your communication. Re-read it and ask yourself “Can someone interpret what I am saying as something else?”. Deliver a single coherent message and you will have no questions about what you are saying.

4. Be concise. Today we receive so many messages, from our employers, friends and family, websites we like, and companies we do business with. With that volume of messaging it is critical that you are brief in your communications. Use bullets where possible. Keep the thoughts brief and to the point.

5. Watch your language. Before you use too much lingo, texting abbreviations, emoji’s, or other forms of shorthand ask yourself will my audience know what I am saying. You are writing for their benefit and not yours so use language that they will understand.

6. Be careful of tone. Some forms of communication do not convey tone well, for example texting. It is easy to put the emotions we are feeling into our communications. Be careful! Unless you are trying to communicate excitement, your tone should be as neutral as possible unless it amplifies your message. It is always better to be neutral in your tone than give the wrong impression to the recipient of your communications.

A former boss of mine said the key to good communication was to be terse and cogent, meaning be clear and to the point. This always made sense to me and helped me to improve my communications. To that I would add to think through your communications before you begin. What are you trying to say, who are you saying it to, and what is the best vehicle for that that?

If you feel that you need to communicate better let MBF Coaching and Consulting help you. We can offer coaching on specific messages or improve your overall communication strategy to your team or customers.