No matter your job, communicating with your coworkers is essential to success. Without proper communication, you won’t be able to collaborate as well, which will hinder your productivity. Use the following tips to turn up the talk between you and your workplace peers.
Listen, Listen, Listen
The number one part of communicating isn’t talking or sharing your ideas—it’s actually listening. Too many of us are simply waiting for the person speaking to finish so we can add in our own two cents. This approach means you aren’t really taking in what they say.
Not only is this rude, but it means conversations might take a cyclical approach. Someone will bring up an idea, only to be overshadowed by someone taking the conversation in a completely unrelated direction. No one ever truly ends up being heard, and in the future, people might stop speaking up at all since they know it is useless.
Provide Constructive Criticism
Let’s say you start listening to your coworkers, but you don’t like what you hear. That doesn’t mean you need to slam down their ideas and make them feel foolish. Rather, try to be constructive in your comments. For example, if they did something wrong, don’t focus on reprimanding them—focus on telling them what to do better next time.
On the opposite side of the coin, always make sure you’re offering positive reinforcement when someone does a good job. This helps them feel valued and ensures they’ll keep working hard.
Know When to Be Casual and Formal
Building a trusting relationship between your coworkers is essential to feeling like you’re part of a team. However, that doesn’t mean you can be casual all the time. All business communications, including email, phone calls, and meetings need to be professional in tone and content. This keeps you on task and serves as a good example to the rest of the company.
That being said, don’t be afraid to get a little personal during lunch or break times. Ask about a person’s weekend plans, their family, or even their hobbies to show that you care about their well-being.
Communicating in the workplace does require a bit of practice to get right, especially if you’re new to the office world. However, with a bit of work, you’ll soon be on your way to building a professional and courteous relationship with all your colleagues.
Works Cited
“7 Ways to Communicate Better with Your Coworkers.” Samepage, 2016 Aug 17, https://www.samepage.io/blog/7-ways-communicate-better-your-coworkers.
