Communicating effectively at work is very important. We make different communication mistakes or communication errors that may impact our professional image. In this Skillopedia video by Rima, you would learn how to improve your communication skills and speak effectively at work, your verbal and nonverbal communication. You would also learn basic email etiquette, how to respond to a situation and how to say No in sticky situations and much more.
The following communication mistakes should be avoided in order to speak with confidence:
Hitting send without a review:
Emails are an important part of daily communication at work. When you wrote an email make sure you review it, check it properly for mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and spelling before you hit send. Do not always rely only on spell check. Make sure the message you are trying to convey is being properly conveyed in your email. So just hitting send without a check is a complete no.
Delivering good or bad news by email:
This is a complete no and should be avoided. Sensitive news good or bad should be given in person only. Imagine you have to lay off an employee; never do it on email because it can seem very insensitive.Meet the person one on one and talk to them. You will be able to make them feel better; something an email cannot do.If you are promoting someone; have a chat with the person; you will be happy to see their joy and excitement on hearing the good news.Do not miss out on the human touch by just delivering important news via email.
Delaying difficult conversations:
Now while this tactic can seem like the easier thing to do rather than have a tough conversation. Please avoid delaying such talks. If you delay then, in the long run, the outcome will not be positive. For example; if you have to discuss productivity or performance issues with a colleague who may be your friend too. Pointing out that he is not performing up to the mark at work may be difficult but if you decide to have the courage to have this talk then both of you will be able to find a solution to the problem. So never avoid, never delay have that difficult conversation.
Saying yes when you want to say no:
Clear, assertive communication is often required at work. Many times situations arise where you need to be assertive and say no to something. Most people hesitate to say no and end up feeling pressurized to say yes.The reason could be that they want to remain in the good books of their boss or colleagues. But always remember no reason is good enough to say yes when you should be saying no. If you keep saying yes to everything then you will be overburdened at work and lose your productivity. But remember, you must always have a valid reason to justify why you are saying no to something.
Crossing the privacy line at work:
Workplaces are meant for people to work & engage with other professionally. People have their own personal lives and we should respect their privacy. We should always be careful not to cross a line while communicating with our colleagues verbally, by email or on a text message. It is important to maintain professional etiquette while working, as this will allow you to work harmoniously with each other.Nobody deserves to feel like their personal space and privacy is being attacked. So never cross the line of anybody’s privacy at work.
Making Assumptions:
This must be avoided at all costs because assumptions can create confusions. If you have shared a plan with colleagues and expect some action from their side …then make sure you convey to them that you expect action or deliverables. Don’t assume people have understood what they need to do .. Just tell them clearly what is expected. Making assumptions should definitely be avoided.
Reacting not responding:
At times, there are difficult situations such as disagreements at work. It’s easy to get annoyed and just react but that can damage your professional relationships; make sure you respond respectfully; keep in mind that your response has to benefit everyone, and it has to directed towards a resolving the situation rather than making it worse. So always respond. Do not react impulsively.