The Importance of Great Communication in Business
When it comes to your business interactions, great communication can pave the way to success. Whether you’re communicating your needs to a vendor, discussing roles and responsibilities with your employees, or sharing your vision with your customers, you rely on great communication to help you achieve your goals. But in today’s business world, communication pitfalls abound. Here are three common pitfalls to avoid.
Don’t assume your communication method is the best method. While you may be comfortable carrying on a conversation by email, other people may find it difficult to express themselves in writing. In these cases, a phone call or a face-to-face meeting could be a better approach. By being sensitive to the communication preferences of your employees and customers, you can modify your approach to get the best results.
Email has its pros … and its cons. Email is a fast and convenient way to communicate, but it does have its limitations. Conveying emotional subtleties such as humour, irony, or disappointment can be difficult in the flat, monotone world of text. If you’re making a joke in an email, consider reading it from the recipient’s perspective. Does the humour come across, or does it fall flat and leave the recipient confused? Don’t make them guess at your intentions. When in doubt, spell it out.
Know when to be casual and when to be professional. Engaging in casual conversation with employees and customers is a great way to establish a rapport and build relationships. But when does casual become too casual? When your discussions include things like frequent profanity, references to religion or politics, or questions about medical issues, you run the risk of alienating your listener and making him or her uncomfortable. Conversation that is polite, professional and respectful is always a safe bet.
Great communication is a requirement for the success of today’s businesses. And by learning to avoid these communication pitfalls, you can increase your chances of success even more. Contact us if you’re ready to get started with these and other great communication tips.