4 Ways You Can Improve Communication Skills in the Workplace

To improve communication skills in the workplace, we need to recognize that many people have preferences different from our own. If we tailor our speech, body language and information-sharing approach to others’ preferences, they are more open to accept ideas. This is especially important during the sales process, problem solving, working on a team or providing customer service. Improve communication skills in the workplace and you will improve the results you achieve.

Improved Communication Skills in the Workplace Equals Improved Results

When you can spot subtle differences in the way people behave, you can effectively work with teams, peers and customers. Here are some tips on things we have found effective to improve communication skills in the workplace.

1. Recognize your own preferences and behaviors and use them to play on your strengths. It can be hard to evaluate the way in which we use communication skills in the workplace. Once you know your own style you can adjust or strategically think how you can optimally communicate in a situation. Do you tend to provide a high level of detail, when key points would be enough for your audience? Do you ask many questions rather than making recommendations? Sometimes our approaches are appropriate to the situations we find ourselves in. Other times, we need to adjust our approach to meet goals. Consider your strengths in using communication skills in the workplace and use these to your advantage.
2. Plan critical business situations before they occur. Before you start an important conversation, think about the people you will be interacting with. If you have worked with them before, think of their preferences and how they like to receive information. Some conversations benefit from planning and practicing, such as delivering a difficult message or asking senior leaders for support. Take the time to set goals, an agenda and plan for how to share information in the best ways.
3. Increase your chance at successful influencing by tailoring your approach to the preferences of others. How do you know the ways people like to use communication skills in the workplace? You can observe people in action and pick up on subtle cues. For instance, do they speak quickly? Talk more about facts or feelings? Use gestures more than other people? These give you cues to how they may like to receive information as well. For those you will work closely with, consider facilitating a discussion about individual preferences before jumping into crucial conversations.
4. Manage interpersonal tension by behaviorally flexing. By temporarily adjusting your behavior to the preferences of others, you manage tension and encourage others to work with you. Even subtly matching the behaviors you uncovered through observation or conversations helps reduce tension and improve communication in the workplace.

These four adjustments can go far to improve communication in the workplace—and ultimately the ability to work well with others.

If you’d like to better use your communication skills in the workplace, our Interaction Styles in Action microcourse is a great primer in knowing your own style, planning critical conversations and tailoring your approach to others’ preferences. Learn more and enroll in our course.

For groups who would benefit from improving their communication skills in the workplace, a program such as our Interaction Styles in Action can provide important insights about ways of working.

Contact us to learn more about improving communication skills