COMMUNICATION AT WORKPLACE

2. COMMUNICATION AT WORKPLACE

3. Introduction • Today, in a tight employment market where the jobs are few and competition is rude, recruiters put communication skills on top of qualities they desire in job seekers. It is therefore necessary to know about the importance of good communication skills, its steps, and how good listening contributes to good communication.

4. Importance of good communication • Inside the organization: an employee has to communicate with his employers and coworkers. “Effective communication skills eliminate differences and make them come together in harmony to create something great”. (Gray) • Outside the organization: an employee also communicates with customers and suppliers. It is important to know how to deal especially with customers to maintain and build customer satisfaction. Communication skills are our ticket to success. (Guffey, & loewy)

5. “Career development is enhanced by training in oral communication and listening because these skills contribute to an employee’s success. • The strategic importance of oral communication skills in today’s workplace has been amply documented and cannot be overstressed. Employees are already spending most of the workday communicating, and the time they spend in interpersonal communication will increase as robots, computers, and other machines take over more and more mundane, repetitive jobs”. (Carnevale, Gainer & Meltzer)

6. Steps to good communication • Be clear • Select a style and level of language appropriate to your audience • Be cautious with jargon, or specialized or technical language, which might be confusing. • Be cautious with abbreviations and acronyms, which can be confusing to a listener • As the poet William B. Yeats said: ”think like a wise man, but communicate in the language of the people”.

7. 2. Be correct • Using the language correctly leads your listeners to understand you and give you credibility.

8. 3. Be specific • Get to the point • Avoid saying too much • Clients and co-workers will be more responsive if you are direct and concise.

9. 4. Think before you speak • Don’t rush into words. Think about what you say before saying it. This avoids you misunderstanding and also prevents you from saying something you might regret later.

10. 5. Be distinctive • The right language can paint an emotional picture in the mind of those listening. Our text book cites the example of President Barack Obama’s speech (then-senator) at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Which speech revealed a man barely known by U.S. citizens.

11. 6. Don’t be overly negative • It is necessary to expose and tackle problem situations in order to solve them, but we must also take time to accentuate the positive. By being overly negative, you can destroy a person's desire to achieve or assist. But by pointing out one or two positives to balance every negative, you can encourage others to achieve their full potentials

12. Listening • “The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just list listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention”.

13. Why is listening an important skill? • Your knowledge increases • You build better relationships • You fulfill your communicative responsibility (Ford-Brown)

14. Two tips for effective listening • Listen actively • Give your full attention • Listen to the main points • Take notes to help you remember • Listen critically • Listen carefully • Ask questions (especially why) • Maintain a sense of childlike curiosity. (Ford-Brown)

15. Conclusion • Good communication skills are keys to our career success. When communicating at work, be clear, specific, distinctive, and correct; think before you speak, and don’t be overly negative. Listen actively and critically.

16. Works Cited • Carnevale, A. P., Gainer, L. J., & Meltzer, A. S. (1990). Workplace Basics: The Essential Skills Employers Want. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. • Ford-Brown, L. A. (2012). Guide to Public Speaking. Boston: Pearson. • Gray, J. (2002). Mars and Venus in the Workplace. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. • Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2012). Essentials of Business Communication, 9e . Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning.