Whether you work for a local
business, or a fortune 500 company, communicating is a huge part of everyday
office life. From internal phone calls,
to emails, to face-to-face communication, being able to talk to your
coworkers is essential to any business’ success.
Each of the communication methods
mentioned above are different from one another. The most casual method would be
the internal phone call, or a call made to someone else in the office. Although
it is the most casual of methods, it does not mean you can ‘go crazy’ on the
phone. Even if you’re truly comfortable speaking to someone, you should never
answer the phone like you would if it was your best friend calling. In order
words, the words ‘hey girl’ or ‘sup bro’ should ever leave your mouth.
Another tip. When you’re taking
internal calls, keep it short and stick to the point. To help you remember this
concept, refer to the acronym above. You are at work and I can guarantee that
the person on the other side of the conversation has plenty of work to keep
them busy. Therefore, they do not want to hear about the amazing
shirt you bought or what you are going to eat for lunch.
Now, lets discuss emails. My personal
email pet peeve is incorrect capitalization. There is nothing worse than having run-on sentences, with no punctuations
mark, incorrect spelling, and horrific grammar. It is an email, therefore you
have a chance to review the email before sending it. It does not take an hour
to quickly read it over before clicking the send button. So as a favor to
yourself and the recipient, use spell check and give your message a quick read.
Lastly, the fastest, but sometimes
most difficult, method of communication is face-to-face. The reason why, it is very difficult to hide your reactions to certain things. When you
are talking on the phone or sending an email, it is easier to hide your initial
reaction, which in certain situations, may offend the person you are speaking
to. Also, do not stare a person down. It will make them feel uncomfortable, and
that is obviously not a good thing. Here’s a tip. Looking at their nose will make
it seem as if you are looking at their eyes, but not staring profusely.
The most important tip, in any of
these methods, is to listen. Listening to what your peers have to say, whether
it is criticism or an idea. Those things are being said for a reason. That
being said, here are a few things you can do to better your listening skills.
- Try
to take notes
- Focus on the main idea of the conversation
- Block out anything
that isn’t part of the current conversation
- Practice
As we all know, practice does make
perfect.
