WhetherĀ you would likeĀ to be in business, information technology orĀ the otherĀ field, good communication skills willĀ assist youĀ succeed.Ā Consistent withĀ the Carnegie Institute of Technology, only 15%Ā of monetaryĀ success comes from knowledge or technical skills.Ā the oppositeĀ 85% comes from an individualās ability to effectively communicate, negotiate, and lead, Forbes reported.
Thatās whyĀ the amountĀ one soft skill that employers sayĀ they’reĀ trying to findĀ is sweetĀ communication skills, followed by a competitive spirit, a team-player mentality and problem solving skills,Ā consistent withĀ another Forbes article.
Julie Sweet, CEO of Accenture North America, recently saidĀ during aĀ CNBC interview: āI think people underrate the importance of investing in your communication skills asĀ howĀ to progress in your career.ā
The good news is that business communication skillsĀ aren’tĀ innate;Ā they willĀ be learned. WhetherĀ you would likeĀ to hone your presentation skills orĀ strengthenĀ your written communications, there are stepsĀ you’llĀ fancyĀ immediately strengthen these skillsĀ to faceĀ call atĀ the workplace, said Karen Wilkinson, the associate dean ofĀ humanistic disciplineĀ for communication at Southern New Hampshire University.
- Find out howĀ to concentrate
Most people underestimate the role of nonverbal communication, orĀ visual communication.Ā consistent withĀ one study,Ā visual communicationĀ isĀ liable forĀ 55% of how listeners perceive a speaker. Likewise, active listening playsĀ an enormousĀ role in how well we understand and absorb whatĀ an individualĀ is saying, Wilkinson said. Itās important not onlyĀ to concentrateĀ to the words someone is saying, butĀ to concentrateĀ for toneĀ also, and what makes the speakerĀ hooked in toĀ the topic.
āSo often weĀ hearĀ respond,ā she said. āIf we take a more active roleĀ we’llĀ beĀ far betterĀ listeners.ā
For example,Ā once youĀ engage in active listening,Ā you’reĀ ready toĀ paraphrase or summarize the message, develop thoughtfulĀ inquiries toĀ seek clarification, and wait before you offer an opinion.
She also urges listeners to spendĀ a couple ofĀ minutes absorbing a message before offering suggestions or asking questions. āItās okayĀ to mention, ‘let meĀ believeĀ it forĀ a momentĀ and obtainĀ back to you.’ā she said. - Perk Up Your Presentations
In a world of email, texts and instant messages, itās easy to ignore your speaking skills untilĀ you’reĀ aheadĀ of a podium. However, employeesĀ got toĀ skillsĀ to talkĀ well person-to-person andĀ aheadĀ of small or large groups.Ā a part ofĀ improving that skill is practice, Wilkinson said, and knowing whatĀ you’reĀ getting toĀ say, preparing how youāll say it and eliminating things that distract the listener fromĀ the mostĀ points. When presenting, Wilkinson said itās bestĀ to informĀ a story and take the audience on the journey with you.
āPeople areĀ ready toĀ rememberĀ a briefĀ storyĀ far moreĀ quickly than bullet points on a slide,ā she said. āIfĀ you’llĀ make themĀ a livelyĀ participant it helps captivate the audience and draws them in.ā
While visuals complementĀ an honestĀ presentation, Wilkinson urges presentersĀ to notĀ believeĀ slides. PracticingĀ aheadĀ of a trusted peerĀ may be aĀ good wayĀ to urgeĀ feedback, she said. āOne person canāt alwaysĀ considerĀ everythingĀ and that weĀ got toĀ be moreĀ hospitableĀ receiving suggestions,ā she said. - Master Talking onĀ the Telephone
Phones arenāt primarilyĀ wont toĀ make phone calls anymore, and Millennials much prefer texting to talking,Ā consistent withĀ Forbes. Still, showingĀ you’llĀ handle phone conversations wellĀ may be aĀ keyĀ a part ofĀ business communication. The person onĀ the oppositeĀ end ofĀ the TelephoneĀ canāt see your expression or read an emoji, which is why itās so important toĀ concentrateĀ to your tone of voice, Wilkinson said. WhetherĀ you’reĀ speaking with a customer or a colleague,Ā you ought toĀ show respect and courtesyĀ within theĀ tone of your voice, she said.
āA lot of (telephone) coaching can come throughĀ a corporation, butĀ you actuallyĀ got toĀ skillsĀ to handle an impromptu call when someoneĀ is lookingĀ youĀ a fewĀ less-than-positive situation,ā she said. āYouĀ got toĀ skillsĀ to stayĀ calm and let the caller knowĀ you’reĀ listeningĀ whichĀ you care.ā
Wilkinson said callers especially want to beĀ ready toĀ tell their story to those working in customer service orĀ PRĀ roles, andĀ it’sĀ up to listeners on the receiving endĀ to knowĀ their plight and take appropriate action.
āThis is where conflict management skills shine through ā havingĀ a techniqueĀ in situĀ to replyĀ when someone is upsetĀ may be aĀ hugeĀ a part ofĀ communication brand protectionĀ during aĀ worldĀ during whichĀ customers can broadcast unpleasant customer service experiences through social media,ā Wilkinson said. - WriteĀ Effective Emails
According to Forbes, emailĀ is that theĀ most generallyĀ used tool for business communication at the workplace. Employees spendĀ quiteĀ 6 hours sending and receivingĀ a meanĀ of 123 emails per day. Poorly written, unclear, misleading or ineffective emails reduce productivityĀ and mayĀ leave a poor impression on the reader.
Think before you hit send. Understand that spell check doesnāt alwaysĀ devourĀ mistakes.Ā Find out howĀ to proofread what you write. Wilkinson saidĀ of theseĀ rules are important toĀ believeĀ wheneverĀ you send an email. Oftentimes, employees areĀ during aĀ hurryĀ to replyĀ and neglect professionalism. Other tips: Less is more. Edit for clarity and understanding. Know whatĀ you would likeĀ to mentionĀ and what informationĀ you’reĀ trying to find.
āShare information with clarity but also includeĀ A levelĀ of diplomacyĀ altogetherĀ written internal communications,ā Wilkinson said.
Equally importantĀ is knowingĀ the situationsĀ that needĀ youĀ to talkĀ to someoneĀ face to faceĀ instead ofĀ counting onĀ email.
āAs a culture, weāve learned to tweak before we send, and weāve lost the art of face-to-face conversation,ā she said. - Collaborate Well with Remote Teams
Chances are, not everyone on your team sits in cubicles adjacent to you. A forecast of employment trends byĀ the planetĀ Economic Forum called flexible work, including telecommuting and virtual teams, āone ofĀ the most importantĀ drivers of transformationāĀ within theĀ workplace, while a Gallup poll found that 43% of respondents spendĀ a whileĀ working virtually.Ā meaningĀ that employees must develop communication skillsĀ which willĀ help them bridge the gap between on-site and remote workers. Wilkinson saidĀ the powerĀ to figureĀ in teams is one skill that canāt be overemphasized,Ā because itĀ is rareĀ for peopleĀ to figureĀ during aĀ vacuum.
āWhenĀ you’re employedĀ with someone remotely, thereĀ are oftenĀ A disconnect.Ā That’sĀ where compassion and empathyĀ are availableĀ . IfĀ you’llĀ engage with peopleĀ in the leastĀ levels, thatāsĀ a robustĀ asset,ā she said. - Donāt Neglect Critical Software Skills
Most employees are expectedĀ to returnĀ to figureĀ with, at minimum, a proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, Wilkinson said. UnderstandingĀ the way toĀ create presentations, documents and infographics is critical to successfully creating, editing and displaying messages, she said. Itās also importantĀ for workersĀ to beĀ ready toĀ share and manage files with their teammates.
āIn our classes, we prepare students and teach themĀ the way toĀ use these tools, so once they hitĀ the workĀ market,Ā they’reĀ reallyĀ ready toĀ soar,ā she said.
It’s not uncommonĀ for workersĀ in today’s communication jobs to wear many hats ā from writer to social media strategist to designer,Ā for instance.
āA communicator has his or her fingers in every pot.Ā You’reĀ getting toĀ got toĀ skillsĀ to makeĀ a graphic,Ā answerĀ a crisis, write a blog, or createĀ an internetĀ page,ā she said. āCommunication is tied to technology and technology is ever-evolving.ā
No matter what fieldĀ you’re employedĀ in, mastering these critical communication skills willĀ assist youĀ standĀ call atĀ the office.