Are you tired of misunderstandings due to lack of clear communication at work and in your personal life? Here are some simple and powerful tips to help you communicate more effectively.
Clear and successful communication: The 5 secrets for a better interaction with your colleagues and team
1. Use short and ordered sentences
Prioritize the most relevant and structure your ideas clearly and concisely. Use short and ordered sentences to facilitate the understanding of your message.
The brain likes order and structure; In this way, you will be helping to better process the information.
2. Graph your ideas and concepts
If you have trouble getting your ideas across, use graphs or diagrams to make them more visual and appealing. This will help your audience to better understand your concepts.
At this point, if you feel that communication is shutting down, physically move around the room, and invite the other person to do so: for example, by both drawing the conversation on a whiteboard. You will see how quickly it unlocks.
3. Ask for confirmation of understanding
Instead of asking “did you understand?” use the phrase “did I express myself correctly?” to ask for confirmation that your message was clear and understood.
Take charge of your communication, and one way to do that is to speak in the first person singular. You can also ask, “Is there anything you need me to say again?”
4. Get straight to the point
Avoid long preambles and go straight to the point.
Related to this, if someone goes too far in a meeting, use the phrase “And the point is?” to help the person to be more concise. It is about using the economy of words.
5. Detect the other person’s processing style
Each person processes information differently. Some are visual, some are auditory, and some are kinesthetic/sensory.
Learn to pick up on the other person’s processing style to tailor your communication and be more effective. Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) calls them “representational systems.” By detecting them you will be able to better enter the world of the other person.
So, if you are looking to improve your communication at work and in your personal life, I invite you to put these tips into practice and you will see how your communication skills will improve substantially. In this way, you will make your messages clear and effective to achieve your goals.
To finish, I invite you to evaluate yourself: On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 is “excellent”), how effective is your communication at all times?
Daniel Colombo Facilitator and Executive Master Coach specialized in senior management, professionals and teams; mentor and professional communicator; international speaker; author of 31 books. LinkedIn Top Voice Latin America. ICF certified; Certified Coach and Member of the John Maxwell Team.