Effective communication is arguably one of the most crucial skills that a manger, leader or business owner must have in order to lead their team and motivate them to succeed.
However, according to recent statistics, 57% of employees in the U.S have reported unclear direction at work and, even more shockingly, 69% of managers do not feel comfortable communicating with their employees.
Clearly, this is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately. If managers do not even feel able to talk to their employees, how can they expect to effectively lead and inspire them?
Whether you feel you need a little helping hand in the communication department, or even if you are simply interested in understanding more about the role that clear communication has in effective management, keep reading the tips below.
What Makes an Effective Communicator?
Managers and employees alike often write on their resumes that they have “strong communication skills”.
However, do they really know what this entails?
Is being a good communicator a natural instinct or is it a skill that can be taught and mastered?
Fortunately, the answer is the latter. Although some are naturally better communicators than others, most people need to learn how to communicate effectively. This is where the beauty of leadership and management training courses come into play. Typically run over 1-2 days, these types of courses, such as the ones offered by corporatecoachgroup.com, will teach you practical tools that you can use in real workplace situations.
Why is the Ability to Communicate Clearly so Vital in a Manager?
Managers are responsible for not only directing their team, but also for engaging with them, inspiring them and helping them to achieve their career goals. Sadly, without effective communication, all of the above can be fall to the wayside, leading to decreased productivity, impaired performance and low morale.
However, if you are able to offer clear direction through effective communication, you can expect:
- Improved performance in your employees
- Increased ability to deal with conflicts
- The ability to build effective teams
- The ability to better manage performance
- Improved relationships with other departments
- Increased employee morale
How Can You Become a Better Communicator as a Manager?
There are several simple ways you can improve your communication skills as a manager or leader. These include:
- Working on your body language. Try to be as open as possible and maintain eye contact as much as possible
- Practicing active listening. It is vital that you show your employees that you are engaged in what they are saying.
- Improving upon your writing skills. Written communication, namely in the form of emails, is an integral part of office culture and therefore, you need to be able to convey yourself effectively and clearly through writing.
- Learning how to communicate with different types of people. As a manager you need to feel comfortable talking to people of all ages, from all different backgrounds and even those who may speak a different language.
