Techniques for effective communication
Especially in the Workplace
Anna is Gina’s senior producer for a lifestyle show; lately Anna seems to be distracted, the quality of her work has declined and Gina wants to know what the problem is. In the workplace, people devote around 80% of their time in an interpersonal situation. Studies have shown that most of the problems that arise in the workplace are rooted in poor communications.
As Anna’s superior, Gina can make use of the following techniques for effective communication to discover what caused the decline in Anna’s performance:
Identify the issue and focus on obtaining information relevant to the issue.
“Anna, during the past two weeks I noticed that we’ve fallen behind schedule. What can we do to keep up with our deadlines?”
Phrase your questions to be open-ended; open-ended questions invite discussion while leading questions convey an expected answer.
“I was wondering because we have been working together for 10 years and this is the first time we experienced any delay. Why the change?”
Effective communication includes nonverbal language; to encourage dialogue, make eye contact and maintain an open expression. Other nonverbal forms of communication that encourages dialogue include nodding your head as if in agreement or in acknowledgement of what the other is saying; smiling, refrain from crossing your arms or legs, and lean a little toward the person you are talking to.
Paraphrase the information you have received to reassure the person that not only did you listen to her but you understand her and her position as well.
"So your position is that these out of town trips can be very unpredictable and you think that all of the producers should sit down and discuss the possibility of modifying the show’s format?”In effective communication, after the issues have been clarified and all the necessary information have been uncovered; it is important to summarize the key points, agree on the next best course of action and express your appreciation for the other person’s effort and cooperation.
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