The good manager, you must have effective communication skills. Whether it’s relaying information to employees that you oversee or checking in with your own boss, effective communication is the key to management success. When you can identify problems, praise success and motivate others, you are well on your way to being a successful manager. Here are four tips for effective communication skills:
- Create an environment. An effective manager sets up a system where employees can express themselves, whether in public or private, and establishes ground rules for communication. Perhaps that means an open door policy or scheduled times for department-wide conferences. As long as you create an atmosphere of respect, employees and management will be encouraged to communicate. These management skills will go a long way in making the workplace a productive and positive one.
- Be assertive. Assertive communication is not aggressive communication. Rather, it is the ability to say what you think in such a way that your views are expressed and the listener’s opinions are also heard. It utilizes language that gets straight to the point and eliminates conversational fluff. Avoid tiptoeing around an issue, and deliver your message honestly and sincerely.
- Express yourself non-verbally as well. Use body language to reinforce your message. Many experts agree that effective communication skills are enhanced when proper body language is used, such as sustained eye contact or emphatic gestures. If you are listening to an employee’s complaints, be sure to keep eye contact with her to show you are interested and listening. When you are delivering a serious message to a group, use proximity and gestures to improve the significance of your words.
- Be Honest. Pass on information to your team members in its correct form. Playing with information and data tampering lead to ineffective communication. Communicate directly with your team members rather than appointing middle men.
- Speak Relevant. The choice of words is really very important in verbal communication. Do not use slangs and abusive words in your speech. Loose talks must be avoided at the workplace.
- Be Focussed. Know what you intend to communicate. Managers must prepare their speech well in advance before addressing their team members. Do not communicate just for the sake of communicating. Deviating from the topic only confuses recipients. Managers must ensure their team members are able to understand them well.
- Be Confident. You must believe in yourself for others to believe you. Learn to stick to your words. It is really important for effective managerial communication. Never be low on self belief.
