We've all been in situations/environments where we could see that something was just "not right". Perhaps in a store, where the cashier may have been impolite, barely acknowledging you when you were checking out. The manager of the newest project was too harsh and verbally attacked someone for a simple mistake. The signs are clear: there are no effective communication strategies in place.
This can lead to customers not coming into your store because the cashier barely cared enough to say “thank you” on the way out. Hard working employees will possibly quit because the manager berated them. It can happen under your watch if you don’t implement a communication strategies from the start. So let’s give you some tips on how to change the atmosphere of your business.
One of the most effective communication strategies is to actively listen. We often think that the employee complaining about someone is just gossiping or is too sensitive when, in fact, their issues are real.
Go the extra mile when an employee brings an issue to you, whether it be with another associate or an easier way to do something. It will go a long way with your employees and make them feel heard. This article in Forbes paints a great picture as to how to listen as a leader. Some of the topics discussed are to show that you care, engage yourself in the conversation and be empathetic to the employee.
Nothing is more frustrating than when you’ve set out a new goal or started a new project and someone comes up to you later in the day and asks, “what was the meeting about yesterday?” It makes you feel like no one is listening and can frustrate those that might not have heard what was new.
To ensure this doesn’t happen to you, make sure that all eyes and ears are present and accounted for in meetings and email chains. Having everyone in attendance, whether it be through physically being there or through email, will greatly improve acknowledgement of new or changed policies.
Also, using products such as Ving, that have read receipts and show which parts of your message the reader has or has not read will help. It creates accountability and will cut down on those uninformed. Effective communication strategies like this can really cut down on wasted time and keep everyone as productive as possible.
Often we think that we know everything there is to know about the company we operate. However, often, your employees are the eyes and ears of your company. They see and hear things on a day to day basis that you might not because they are in the trenches and have their hands to the plow of your business. They may also have ideas on how to make a process better or speed up a task. Effective communication strategies are not just your words, but others.
We can always learn something new every day and by using some of these effective communication strategies, you might learn something new about your company. Getting to know your associates and making sure they feel important will increase their morale and keep them productive. Making sure everyone knows what’s new in your company will keep them in loop. Having an open door to hear new ideas from the backbone of your company will increase productivity and help everyone reach your goals.
