What you don’t know might surprise you.
Most chamber pros pride themselves on their communication abilities, but in today’s digital age, you might be surprised to learn your communication skills may leave some people struggling to connect with you. If you spend a lot of time explaining yourself, rewording what you’ve just said, or listening to rumors about yourself that don’t match your recollection of an incident, there may be a failure to communicate.
Business Communication Tips All Chamber Pros Can Leverage
Leverage Silence Strategically
While most business communication tips focus on what to say, strategic use of silence can be incredibly powerful. Pausing after making an important point allows it to sink in. Silence during negotiations or advocacy can prompt the other party to fill the void, potentially revealing useful information. Learning to be comfortable with silence and use it intentionally can make your communication more impactful.
Tailor Your Communication Style
People have different communication preferences and styles. Some prefer direct, concise messages while others appreciate more context and detail. If you have moved from a chamber in one part of the country to another, you’ll want to pay attention to regional communication practices. People in the Northeast, for instance, prefer a quicker-to-the-point approach, while people in other parts of the country may interpret that as rude.
Take time to understand your audience’s preferences and adapt your style accordingly. This personalized approach can significantly improve comprehension and rapport.
Use Analogies, Metaphors, and Local Turns of Phrase
Complex ideas can often be conveyed more effectively through analogies or metaphors that relate to familiar concepts. This technique helps bridge understanding, especially when communicating technical or abstract information to non-experts.
Local turns of phrase or colloquialisms can also be effective when communicating with certain groups as long as they are heartfelt and not something fake. For example, “that dog don’t hunt” can be a very effective way of communicating disbelief in the South. Idiomatic expressions like that can also be entertaining and memorable if they fit your audience.
Practice Empathic Listening
While active listening is commonly advised, empathic listening takes it a step further. With empathic listening, you’re not just hearing the words. You’re also trying to understand the emotions and motivations behind them. For instance, when a member is unjustifiably irate, trying to comprehend and care about the speaker’s perspective and understanding what could be behind it can help you build deeper connections and trust, not to mention make it less frustrating for you.
Leverage Body Language
Non-verbal cues often communicate more than words. Consciously using open postures, maintaining appropriate eye contact, and mirroring the other person’s body language can enhance rapport and credibility. Don’t forget, body language “speaks” both ways–it speaks to your mindset and that of your communication partner. So, you want to be aware of what both sides are communicating.
Embrace the Power of Questions
Asking thoughtful, open-ended questions helps you gather information. It also demonstrates interest and improves engagement. With questions, you can steer conversations in productive directions and uncover valuable insights. The key is to ask probing (but not threatening–this isn’t an inquisition) questions. Learning that skill can dramatically improve the quality of your business communications.
Now that you know some of the secrets to being a better communicator, let’s take a quick temperature of your own communication techniques. Are you making any of the following most common business communication mistakes?
Hey, we’re not judging, just exploring.
Common Communication Mistakes
Common mistakes in business communication can significantly hinder productivity and relationships. Here are some of the most frequent errors:
Lack of Clarity
Failing to communicate clearly can lead to misunderstandings and confusion. Ambiguous messages can result in mistakes and inefficiencies in work processes. One of the most common mistakes I hear occurs during meetings in-person and through technology. Over the past few years, there’s been a push to be more team-oriented. Because of this, leaders often use the phrase “we.” That’s fine when the conversation is about general concepts such as, “We are focusing on workforce development this year.” But it doesn’t work so well in situations like this, “We will send an email and follow up with the college on their new course design.” Who will? I will? You will? Surely, we won’t all be following up.
The use of “we” may feel inclusive when talking about high-level goals, but it confuses people when it comes to assignments.
Poor Listening Skills
Many of us think we’re good listeners. In reality, it’s easy to get distracted when we’re focused on the next thing on our to-do list. Give the person you’re speaking with your full attention. If that’s not possible at the time, schedule a time when it will be. Listening to someone is one of the most beneficial gifts you can give them, and it costs you nothing.
Not Being Able to Write
No, I’m not your English teacher coming down on you because you used a dangling participle. This is about email and texts. Many people think it’s not always possible to convey the message effectively in writing. I disagree. Writing effective communication may be a lost art but it’s invaluable in some situations.
Writing becomes problematic in business communications when you don’t write as clearly as you speak. And you don’t benefit yourself from speaking your text or email to your phone and then hitting send without reading it. That’s where the back-and-forth tennis game of questions comes from. Be clear and concise in your messaging and always proofread it. Yes, proofreading for grammar is important but proofreading for clarity is more so.
I will always be a supporter of the written word. When it comes to takeaways and action, it trumps the phone every time because it is a written record of what you communicated and asked of your recipient. If there are any questions later on, the recipient can refer to your email, text, or written message. They can also easily add the assignment to their calendar.
If you call and give them the assignment, on the other hand, you can only hope they write it down and that you had their full attention when you were speaking with them.
If you’re going to follow up a phone call with an email or other form of written communication anyway, why bother? Simply start there.
Having said that…
While digital tools like email are convenient, they can lead to misunderstandings if you don’t improve your written communication. Always review your text or email before sending it and make sure any indirect pronouns (them, it, etc.) are clarified for the recipient.
However, written communication is not always preferable to face-to-face communication. Calls or meetings are more effective for sensitive topics and things you might not want to put in writing.
Lack of Empathy
Failing to consider others’ perspectives can strain relationships and lead to communication breakdowns. Empathy is essential for fostering understanding and collaboration. Again, a disgruntled member may seem like a jerk until you find out their business is struggling. Try to feel where they’re coming from.
Information Overload
Bombarding chamber stakeholders with excessive information can overwhelm them and obscure key messages. When it comes to your board, over-communicating may make them feel like the topic is something you want feedback on. And if it’s an administrative/daily task, that’s the last thing you want from them.
It’s important to be concise and focused in communications. Stories are great, but they should be used to illustrate your point or draw people in. If the recipient of your message comes away not knowing what it is you want from them or what you were communicating, then the point of your communication was lost.
How to Avoid Information Overload
To avoid overloading people with information, consider implementing the following strategies:
- Prioritize and set clear goals. Establish clear objectives for what information is necessary and relevant. By prioritizing tasks and setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals, individuals can focus on the most critical information and avoid unnecessary details. This is also helpful when you’re dealing with different personalities and processors.
- Say what you mean. Don’t sugar-coat something that is important. If there’s an urgent need, explain that. But keep in mind, when everything is urgent, nothing is. For instance, using a phrase such as, “I would like you to…” sounds like that request may be optional or something that would make you happy but it is not urgent. Some people are literal processors. If you use phrases such as “I would like” or “It would be nice” or “When you can,” they will fail to understand your urgency.
- Be selective with information distribution. Before sharing information, assess who truly needs it. Avoid unnecessary CC’ing and BCC’ing in emails, and consider whether the information is essential for all recipients. Tailoring communication to specific audiences can reduce clutter and enhance relevance.
- Organize and filter information. Implement systems to categorize and filter incoming information. Use tools like labels, bookmarks, and folders to keep information organized and easily accessible. This helps in quickly finding emails without sifting through unnecessary content. There are several AI tools that can help you organize your inbox.
- Schedule related tasks together. Group similar tasks to minimize cognitive load. By scheduling related activities in blocks, individuals can work more efficiently and reduce the mental burden that comes from switching between unrelated tasks. Keep this in mind when communicating with staff. Bouncing them from one project to another can leave them wondering if your directions are for project A, B, or Z.
Poor Timing
Delivering messages at inappropriate times can lead to misunderstandings and closed doors. Timing is crucial for effective communication.
Failure to Follow Up
Neglecting to follow up on communications can result in lost opportunities. Consistent follow-up ensures messages are received and understood. We’re all busy. Reminders can be helpful. Micromanaging is not.
Using the Wrong Tone
The tone of communication can impact how messages are received. Voicing emotions and using an inappropriate tone can lead to anger and conflict. In written communication, tone is difficult to differentiate and interpret. Typing something mean or passive aggressive and thinking adding an “lol” at the end makes it less so is a common mistake.
Assuming Understanding
Your audience doesn’t always have the same level of knowledge you do. Assuming they do can lead to confusion. Instead, tailor communication to the audience’s understanding and provide necessary context. Segment or customize your communication to avoid over-explaining to those who are familiar with the topic. For instance, you would speak differently to the Mayor in support of a local issue than you would a member who is just hearing about the topic for the first time.
By being aware of these common mistakes, you can improve your communication practices. Doing so will impact your success, help members feel more valued, and increase the likelihood that your advocacy will be more effective. It’s also impossible to sustain strong relationships without good communication. Good communication practices are the foundation of every great leader.
