In the age of knowledge, ideas are the cornerstone of success in almost every field. You might possess the most brilliant idea globally, but if you can’t persuade others to embrace your vision, your influence and impact will be severely limited. This is precisely why communication is no longer called to be just a “soft skill” among the world’s leading business minds. Successful leaders don’t merely pay lip service to the significance of effective communication; they delve deep into the art of communication in all its forms — writing, speaking, presenting — and continuously strive to enhance these skills.
For instance, consider Jeff Bezos, the visionary behind Amazon. While building his empire, he placed a high premium on writing skills. In the summer of 2004, he took his leadership team by surprise by banning PowerPoint. Instead, he introduced “narratively structured memos” that contained titles and complete sentences with proper verbs and nouns.
Bezos is not alone among top leaders. “You cannot over-invest in communication skills — written and verbal skills,” states former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, who now serves on Amazon’s board. “If you cannot simplify a message and communicate it compellingly, you cannot get the masses to follow you.”
What is Communication?
In personal and professional aspects, effective communication is a fundamental skill that will play a pivotal role throughout your life. From resolving conflicts to building a strong relationship and conveying ideas clearly in a persuasive manner — Communication is the key!
There are 4 types of communication:
- Verbal Communication
- Non-verbal Communication
- Visual Communication
- Written communication.
No matter how we communicate, we always start by thinking about what the reader/listener might be or should think, feel, and act once they feel they have been heard or read.
At any workplace, people communicate face-to-face (i.e. verbally), in writing (via email, messaging tools like Slack, or project management tools like Monday), using images (like graphs and pictures on presentations), and non-verbally.
Now, on many occasions, team management can avoid a loss due to miscommunication leading to drastic major decisions, and to avoid that most companies adopted a business practice — close the loop concept!
How to Improve Your Communication Skills?
Try Closing the loop
The term close the loop is referred to well-functioning and coordination in various Industries. Closing the loop is an essential communication model to minimize communication errors and encourage effective team collaboration.
Most simplistically, when thinking about an open loop, any conversation can get in and any conclusion can be made out of it. Whereas, in a closed loop, the direction and flow of the conversation is controlled leading to fewer interpretations and variability. This practice requires bi-directional communication and sharing of information.
Bring your Vocab into Play: Articulation!
Long, convoluted sentences can make written ideas challenging to grasp. They demand more mental effort and concentration, which can be draining. Simplify your language by using shorter words, and sentences, while upskilling your vocabulary.
Nobel prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman emphasizes the importance of reducing “cognitive strain” for persuasive communication. Tools like Grammarly assess writing quality by providing a numerical readability score. For instance, if your document is written at an eighth-grade reading level, it means it’s easy to comprehend, even when dealing with sophisticated ideas.
Practice makes us perfect when it comes to writing skills. Jeff Bezos, for instance, improved as a writer over time. His first Amazon shareholder letter in 1997 was on par with The New York Times at a tenth-grade reading level. Over the next decade, 85% of his letters were written for an eighth- or ninth-grade level.
Learn Email Etiquettes
While email serves as a practical and widespread means of communication, it has its drawbacks. According to Microsoft’s 2023 annual Work Trend Index Report, employees dedicate more than 57% of their time to managing emails and other internal messages, which can be highly distracting and time-consuming.
Additionally, not everyone is naturally adept at email writing, leading to the potential for misunderstandings that can be more easily avoided during face-to-face interactions, where non-verbal cues like body language and tone help convey intent.
Therefore, enhancing your team’s email communication skills, developing effective writing
habits, and maintaining professionalism online can significantly boost their offline reputation.
Handle any form of call like a boss!
Communication is the lifeblood of workplace interactions, and it takes various forms, including telecalls, conference calls, and video calls. These mediums facilitate collaboration and exchange of information, ensuring that teams remain connected, even across great distances. In a telecall, verbal communication is paramount, with clear articulation and active listening being key.
Conference calls extend this to a group, requiring effective moderation and structure to prevent chaos. Video calls add a visual dimension, allowing for nuanced facial expressions and body language. Mastering these communication methods involves not only technical proficiency but also the art of engaging, guiding, and ensuring that messages are understood and delivered with clarity, regardless of the platform used.
Ways to conduct the calls:
- Telecall: Speak clearly, be concise, and actively listen.
- Conference Call: Set an agenda, moderate effectively, and manage participant contributions.
- Video Call: Ensure a suitable backdrop, maintain eye contact, and use non-verbal cues to enhance engagement.
Think like a Facilitator while Communicating
Facilitators, in brief, have a versatile role to play. A proficient facilitator can have a profound impact on a group by igniting inspiration, fostering motivation, promoting teamwork, and ultimately contributing to the achievement of organizational success. They simplify processes for the entire group and guide them in pursuing the objectives of the meeting, ensuring adherence to the agenda.
Organizations require exceptional facilitators who can orchestrate group dynamics, resolve conflicts, and handle diverse situations, no matter how intricate they may be. Team members act as the primary contributors, while the facilitator’s role is to encourage, moderate, and ensure that every individual has the opportunity to express themselves and participate.
To become an effective facilitator, drawing inspiration from those who have excelled in this role and from those who play essential but often unseen roles behind the scenes is crucial. Certain traits are common among these individuals:
- Active listening
- Genuine interest
- Authenticity
- Impartiality
- Setting the right tone
- Patience
- Organizational skills
As mentioned previously, the skills of an adept facilitator closely resemble those of a proficient project manager.
Leave an Impact when you leave the room
To present yourself as more interesting and engaging, it’s essential to humanize your knowledge most simply by providing context. Instead of bombarding your team with statistics and charts, present numbers in a relatable and memorable manner.
For example, by 2025, scientists anticipate humans will produce 175 zettabytes of data annually, equivalent to one trillion gigabytes. However, these numbers can be overwhelming for most people. But what if you could visualize it differently? Imagine storing 175 zettabytes of data on DVDs; the disks would encircle the Earth 222 times. This description makes the number more engaging by creating a vivid image.
Astrophysicist and science educator Neil deGrasse Tyson recommends embedding data in familiar ground to simplify complex ideas. Turn data into language that everyone can comprehend.
Transformational leaders prioritize overcommunication. They repeat the mission so frequently that it becomes a mantra. A mantra, a statement, or a slogan, gains strength through repetition. Your mission should take center stage and be spotlighted across all communication channels: memos, emails, presentations, social media, and marketing materials. If your mission stands for something, stand up for it.
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https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/the-art-of-effective-communication-5063321/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-tips-develop-effective-workplace-communication-skills-brookes/
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Written By: Jimmy Jain
Edited By: Afreen Fatima
Society of Design Thinking Professionals
