Different Types of Communication

There are many different types of communication in the workplace, and all have an effect on your success!

The first is the use of your language and how you speak to people directly one on one. Do you speak up or down to them? Do you do all the talking or do you actually listen to them also. When you listen are you actually listening or are you thinking about what you are going to say next. Maybe you are thinking about lunch!

When someone is speaking to you do not continue working! I know this sounds so simple but think about it. When the phone rings while you are having a conversation with a staff member do you glance over at the caller ID? What a bad message this sends to the person you are speaking with! They don't matter is the message they receive. Fight the urge to look. Worse do not answer it! Do not do one of those things where you lift your pointer finger up, indicating to them to hold on, while you answer the phone. You might as well hold up your middle finger to them!

The next form of communication is when you are addressing your staff in a group. If this is the only way you address them you have lost them already. Addressing the entire group should be saved for sending the same message to all of them so there is no misunderstanding. Of course training is a good example of this. It could be to address a rumor that is being spread. It could be to let everyone know how much you appreciate them. Make it meaningful!

Email communication should be utilized for communicating short and to the point information. Use it wisely since many emails are misunderstood. Remember you are sending them something that they will read and potentially act upon. You will not get the immediate feed back from them indicating they understood. Also there is no body language with emails. That may be good or bad. They can not see your smile or your frown. If you word something wrong it could send a message that you are disappointed or angry at them.

Body language is the most over looked method of communication I know of. I will include voice inflection with body language.

We say a ton with our body language and in most cases we don't even know it. I have read a number of good books on body language and they really hit home with me. I never realized how important and correct they all were.

The voice inflection on the phone is just as important. Most people can tell whether you are smiling or grumpy just by the way you talk with them on the telephone. Try it sometime. Record your own voice on your voice mail and try smiling and see the difference. I'm not talking about some fake smile, but really smiling.

Remember while you are talking or listening you are communicating something. It may not reflect what you really intended to communicate, so be aware that everything is sending a message. Even walking through your department and not saying anything could be screaming out that you are disappointed or they don't matter. Be careful and mindful of everything.

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