The most important skill needed at work for managers, coordinators and indeed staff is the ability to communicate effectively. We are bombarded by words, images and sounds for much of the day and getting other people to really listen to us can, at times, be very difficult.
It may be easy enough to get them to hear you, but listening involves actually relating to what is being said and responding appropriately. Every day minor and sometimes-significant communication breakdowns occur and each time the job is made just that little bit more difficult. This article makes some very relevant suggestions about how to get your team members, or other people for that matter, to really listen.
It is not surprising that staff do not always seem to listen. Australians have to listen to literally hundreds of media advertisements, TV words, family conversations, and friends, and then you.
While most conversations are conducted in good faith and reasonable efforts are made to listen, some are not. The team member you are talking to may not really be interested, may have a number of unresolved issues with the organisation, or even you personally, or maybe is just not interested enough to focus.
In between these two extremes many conversations at work have a range of often quite mild barriers between you and the other person or team. These may include noise, a poor environment, even that the conversation is taking place a few minutes before going home on a Friday. In addition, the concentration and even work competencies of the person you are talking to can vary.
Given all the possible stumbling blocks to a really effective work conversation it is not surprising that miscommunication occurs.
These three steps are, of course, fraught with opportunities for misunderstanding and mistakes. Even when both sides of the communication are highly motivated and competent it is possible to get some confusion. When one side of the communication exchange is not really interested or has workplace attitude or other problems, then communication becomes really difficult.
The framework for effective communication
It is essential to ensure that important instructions or discussions are held at a reasonable time and given appropriate attention. A few quick words given on the run about an important issue, in a noisy environment, when the other person maybe in the middle of an important task, is obviously going to create a barrier. Critically good communication means listening to the other person as intently as you would like them to listen to you.
People are more likely to understand what you say if you say it effectively and, of course, you have something to say. A necessary step in every significant conversation is the WOO factor.
Creating the WOO factor
When you first speak to a person, impressions are really important. The term given to this period when attitudes and impression of the other person are created is called the "Window of Opportunity" or WOO factor.
The window of opportunity can create a positive communication experience or make the other person feel uptight, or even hostile. This means being respectful, listening to the other person, focusing on them, and making sure that non-verbal communication shows you are interested. The problem can be that we do not use the WOO factor after the first few minutes. But we should. We suffer from communication fatigue.
Avoiding communication fatigue
It is very easy to get into bad habits when talking to someone whom you talk to every day. Familiarity can breed poor communication. Indeed it could be argued that often communication at work is actually better that at home as we make something of an effort with the more structured environment of work. Signs of communication fatigue include:
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Too many shorthand conversations when issues are not talked through.
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Making assumptions that the other person understands and is thinking along the same lines.
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Using too many technical or "in" words.
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Assuming the other person will remember the last conversation and can pick up your meaning.
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Not making an effort to focus on the person.
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Not taking enough time to fully communicate your message.
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Trying to have a conversation while also doing something else.
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Not starting the conversation from the other point of view
In addition to the WOO factor, people are more likely to listen to someone who has the LOT factor
The LOT (Level of Trust) factor
Then LOT factor refers to the long-term credibility of the person talking and indeed the long-term effectiveness of the relationship. While the immediate impact of your communication style in a conversation is critical, if after a while all there is to the relationship is an effective communication style, it will not be enough. There has to be a reasonable level of credibility.
People are more likely to listen on a specific occasion if it is related to a belief you are credible and upfront. Your credibility will be based on the level of honesty and integrity that you are perceived as having, your competence and continuing interest in the person you are talking to, and the subject matter.
Essentially the LOT factor is about trust. The trust people have in your honesty, your ability to do the job, your interest in the clients and staff, and how you signal your belief that the organisation and individuals within it have a positive future.
Communication techniques for getting the other person to listen
In addition to your communication style and the long-term relationship you have with the person you are talking to, your specific approach in each conversation is a third critical element.
People will, in the end; listen to themselves before they listen to you. Thus you will get better results if your communication focuses on asking questions, getting the other person's opinions and explaining things from their view before moving to the idea you want to convey.
It is also useful to determine what sought of person you are talking to. Is he or she a person who likes detail or is more interested in the overview or idea? You need to pick the type of person and adjust your conversation accordingly.
It can be counter-productive to communicate your needs, idea or the issue and then find there is a misunderstanding or a significant difference in what action should take place as a result of the initial shared understanding.
Effective communication means gaining a common understanding of the outcome of the communication. All conversations should end with a review of what has been agreed must take place, when it will take place and how it will be known that the action has taken place and has been formalised. Obviously the intensity of this part of the conversation will depend on the topic.
Hopefully your communication approach, the WOO and LOT factors, and your credibility and clarity about actions will already have motivated the people you are talking to, but to ensure that there is continuing enthusiasm to complete the task associated with the conversation there will need to be -depending on the topic of course -a follow-up meeting and feedback. Commitment from a team member usually means a demonstration of your commitment through your time, involvement or at least interest.
Conclusion
Getting someone to really listen to you in the sense of understanding, agreeing on what to do and then being committed to it, is obviously not easy. While your team will listen because of your authority, and perhaps power, this will only provide a minimum of listening. Effective listening requires the speaker to build up credibility with the "audience" and then really focus on each conversation.
Our Business Consultant would be happy to talk to you about how you can get your staff to really listen and improve communication in your business. To contact our Business Consultant please click here.