Effective Business Communications

Professional and timely communication in the work place is essential. The business setting requires special considerations when communicating effectively, as relationships are formed that allow the company to function as a team and work in harmony. Communication fuels the decision-making process, the flow of information, and the analysis necessary to run the company.

“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” – Lee Iacocca

Weak communication skills can create problems for you and your team, causing you to look sloppy or unprofessional; others to fail to notice you; conflicts to arise; gaps in the flow of information; and employees to be demotivated. A few things to keep in mind while you are practicing communication are:

Write the way you speak.  Business communications do not need to be formal and stuffy in order to communicate effectively.  In fact, most readers understand what you’re saying more easily when you use a normal and conversational tone.

Take a positive approach.  Readers who are confronted with a negative message tend to become blocked or defensive on an emotional level and often cannot fully absorb the entire message.  It is therefore important to use a positive tone and a positive approach.

Inform your readers what’s in it for them or how they will benefit from the message you’re communicating. If your message contains a call to action, be sure to address it early and then restate later so the receiver is clear.

Write at the reader’s level of understanding.  You won’t impress your readers by using big words. A business communication is, first and foremost, written to communicate.  In order to do that, your readers must understand the message you are sending.

Anticipate questions and answer them right away.  Your reader will benefit from being informed up front, and you’ll save additional correspondence or communications to answer those questions later. 

Be brief and yet concise.  Longer is not necessarily better, as extra text doesn’t necessarily enhance the message and your reader may not finish the correspondence.  Make each word count, so that every sentence is able to convey something meaningful.

Avoid using acronyms and jargon.  Spell out what you mean in clear terms that everyone can understand.

Use diagrams, pictures, bullet points, and lists whenever possible to summarize and illustrate the point.

Use the appropriate communication tool for the activity.  Often, it is easy to hide behind emails or even text messages.  If you have exchanged three emails on the same topic, call or go speak with the person directly.  The dialog will allow you to answer questions, read body language and make sure you are understood.  Know the appropriate etiquette for the tool you are using. Although emails are often informal communication, do not fall into the trap of being unprofessional or sending emails that do not advance the conversation. Also know your audience’s communication preferences and use the tool that best fits their style.

Steps for Communicating

By following the steps below, you can understand the process, become more aware of your role, recognize what you need to do to communicate effectively, anticipate problems before they happen, and improve your overall ability to communicate.

1.       Plan Your Message – take a moment to figure out what you want to say, and why. Be sure to “scrub” your communication of information that isn’t necessary, wasting time and possibly creating confusion.

·         Understand and communicate your objective – why are you communicating?

·         Understand your audience and what they need to know

·         Plan what you are going to say and how

·         Seek feedback

2.       Create a Clear Message – decide exactly how you are going to say your message. Be clear and concise.

·         Understand what you need and want to say

·         Anticipate the receiver’s reaction and address it in your message

·         Choose words and body language that allow the receiver to really hear what you are saying

3.       Choose the Right Channel – you want to be efficient, yet make the most of your opportunity. Consider:

·         The sensitivity and emotional content

·         How easy it is to communicate detail

·         The receiver’s preferences

·         Time constraints

·         The need to ask and answer questions

4.       Receive and Interpret the Response – it can be easy to focus on the message we want to deliver, however you also need to be able to take a step back and let the other person talk. Active listening requires that you give your undivided attention to the speaker:

·         Look at the person

·         Pay attention to their body language

·         Avoid distractions

·         Nod and smile to acknowledge points

·         Think back to what the person has already said

·         Allow the person to speak, without focusing on what you are going to say next

·         Don’t interrupt

5.       Ask for Feedback – seek feedback to make sure that your message was delivered and understood in the manner you intended.