Communications

Good communication starts with listening

Two coworkers who are both trying to get their point across at the same time will not hear each other. They will just keep trying harder to be recognized. They will not start communicating until they take the time to acknowledge each others points. When a person feels that her/his message is heard, he/she will start to relax and pay more attention to what others are saying.

Set objectives

Whether writing a letter, memo, presentation, or email message, first decide, “What is the objective of this communication?” Some objectives will be obvious to the communicator and may only take a few seconds to identify. Others may not be so obvious and may take some thought. Either way it is important to identify the objective, otherwise it will be difficult to make the communication worthwhile for the sender and the person(s) receiving the communication.

Generally, a good objective will help the communicator see what he wants to get out of the communication and it will help him structure the message to ensure the audience understands the message.

Know the audience

It is one thing to figure out what the sender wants, it is another to figure out what employees, management, and co-workers may want. This requires careful consideration: “Who is going to read this?” “What do I know about them?” “What do they know about me?” “Will they likely want to hear what I have to say?” “Will they disagree with it?”

The sender should answer all these questions before beginning a communication, and then use the answers to tailor the message. For instance, if the answer to “Will they disagree with it?” is yes, the message will be structured differently than if the audience is likely to agree with the message. The writer may need to take special precautions to make sure the message sounds fair to a hostile audience. Here are some ways to do this:

• Don’t begin the communication with “this is what we’ve decided.”
• Present different options that were rejected and state why. For instance, “Process XYZ was consid­ered, but it was too expensive.” “Process ZYX, although having some production benefits, would create additional safety hazards.”
• Present the option you have chosen toward the end of the communication.
• Give reasons why you chose that option.
• Provide an outlet for feedback.

Avoid biased language

One of the greatest roadblocks to communication is not tolerating and respecting the diversity of others. Biased language can cause your audience to focus on how something is said rather than what was said. It can also be the basis for lawsuits. Businesses have been sued because their job descriptions used the word “he,” causing women to feel excluded.

Avoid gender-biased pronouns when not talking about a specific person. Instead of using singular nouns and pronouns as in, “Everyone must turn in his timesheet on Thursday,” choose one of the following options:

• Use the plural form for both nouns and pronouns, “Employees must turn in their timesheets on Thursday.”
• Omit the pronoun altogether, “Timesheets must be turned in on Thursday.”
• Switch from the third-person (he) to the second-person (you) when this shift is appropriate for what you’re writing, “You need to turn in your timesheet on Thursday.”
• If you must use he or she, vary the pronoun choice. Ideally, choose pronouns that counter prevailing stereotypes.
• Avoid gender-biased nouns by using terms like chair instead of chairman or flight attendant instead of stewardess.

When such descriptions are necessary be careful not to use outdated expressions. Inappropriate terms show bias and may offend some readers. Keep up with current usage. Changes occur frequently for some terms, and sometimes there are disagreements about the proper term within certain groups. Check a current edition of the AP Style Guide to find the latest usage information.

Develop good speaking skills

Fear of public speaking is a common phobia. These tips can help a nervous speaker develop more confidence:

• Relax. Breath deeply and slowly, expanding your diaphragm as you breath in then contracting it as you breath out. Visualize yourself giving the perfect speech.
• Instead of speaking to a roomful of people, pick out a few friendly faces at different spots in the room and speak directly to them.
• Speak more. The more you do it, the less you will fear it. Join a group such as Toastmasters, or volunteer to speak at a social organization on a topic you are knowledgeable about.
• Be prepared. Know your subject. Go over your speech often enough to internalize it even if you don’t memorize it.

Some people prefer to follow an outline rather than writing every word of a speech. Others feel more comfortable if they write out and memorize their entire speech ahead of time. In either case preparation is key. Here are some steps to follow when preparing a speech:

• Determine the objective and make sure the final speech meets that objective.
• Gather needed information before structuring the oral communication. Make certain the information is current.
• Identify the audience. This will help determine how formal the communication needs to be.
• Know the subject matter.
• Decide the length of the speech.
• Decide whether handouts are needed.
• Decide whether audio/visual aids are needed.
• Develop notes and written transcript where needed. (Follow applicable tips for writing from above.)
• Structure the communication so that it corresponds to any handouts and audio/visual aids.
• Practice. Look for any distracting behaviors, i.e., shifting from leg to leg, moving your hands, saying “umm” before each sentence.
• Make changes as needed. Is the speech too long, too short, not clear, etc.?
• End by thanking the audience for their time and attention.

Develop good writing skills

Anyone can learn to be a better writer through reading, practicing, and proofreading. The following steps can help:

• Determine the objective. Then check it again after completion to make sure the objective has been met.
• Gather needed information before beginning to write. Organize the material. Put it into logical groups with headings, such as “Committee meeting minutes,” “Articles from trade magazines,” and “Sales proposals.”
• Ask who, what, when, where, and how to determine how formal a communication needs to be, how much time to spend on it, what format to use, etc.
• Develop an outline. This will help communication flow naturally. Group similar topics, thoughts, etc., together. Make a note of the main topic or thought. Ensure it gets adequate attention in the communication.
• Decide on a format. Does this need to be a memo or would a letter be more appropriate? Is a full report needed?
• Create a draft. Don’t try to create a finished product the first time through.
• Edit the draft. Cut out unnecessary words, phrases, and sentences. The reader’s time is valuable. Don’t waste it. It’s helpful to have a dictionary, thesaurus, and grammar guide at this step.
• Write final copy.
• Proofread and check facts. This is especially important when dealing with numbers. Check all figures against the original source.