[Image from Gaby Stein of Pixabay]
Part of being human is making an occasional error and most likely we’ve all made errors. Avoiding communication errors is essential especially in the workplace, as it can be a detriment to building relationships with our colleagues.
Here is a list of seven communication errors you want to avoid:
- Making the assumption that everyone is the same. I realize we all know this isn’t the case, however sometimes in our rush to complete a project we fail to take a different approach based on the needs of our audience. It pays to tailor or customize if appropriate.
- Communicating emotionally. While tough to do, we want to strive to not let our emotions override our message. If we do so, we risk having a negative impact on others. Best to take some time to gain control of our feelings before we communicate.
- Thinking tone of voice is irrelevant. Much of our message is conveyed by our vocal tone which is part of our non-verbal language. It’s often not the words themselves but whether or not our volume and intonation is consistent with our intent.
- Putting off challenging conversations. Although they’re often difficult, there are times when it becomes necessary to discuss a sensitive topic with an individual. Remember that if you’re feeling challenged you want to speak to this person vs. emailing or texting them. Timing is very crucial.
- Closing yourself off to different perspectives. It behooves us to be open-minded since it’s respectful to hear differing points of view. That doesn’t mean we concur with what others think but we want to ensure we demonstrate a willingness to factor in what they’ve shared with us.
- Forgetting to ensure that you’re understood. It’s easy to think what you said was crystal clear but sometimes that’s simply not the case. This is where asking open-ended questions and checking the nonverbal behavior of others comes into play.
- Verifying you’re clear about what you heard. Sometimes we may think we’re saving time by not confirming the accuracy of what we heard. However, it’s well worth the time to ask questions or restate what you heard to be sure it’s correct. It can save you time in the long run.
Please feel free to contact me to discuss this topic further if you wish.
You can either call 518-664-6004 or email dale@profitablespeech.com
Source: Skills You Need