Is Communication a Strength in your
Business?
Communication
is the foundation of every single relationship you have in your personal life;
it's no different in business. Without effective communication, there can be misunderstandings,
problems and conflicts among your staff, your clients and everyone else you
come into contact with. Poor communication can make effective delegation, productivity and
an enjoyable work environment virtually impossible.
Here are
a few ideas that may help.
1. Listen
Listening is the key to effective communication and it helps
to limit distractions during conversations. Turning off cell phones, email, or
even closing an office door can help ensure the speaker has your full
attention.
2. Respond Promptly
In business it is important to respond to requests quickly.
Even if information is not immediately available respond quickly with a promise
to follow-up. Check voice or messages at least once a day. If a customer has to
wait longer than 24-48 hours for a response it is likely you will lose the
business.
3. Ask good
questions
When you want to persuade someone, questions can be more
powerful than statements. The reason: you engage another person more strongly.
You get him or her thinking about the ideal answer – and the steps necessary to
get there.
4. Hold Effective Meetings
Meetings are notorious for being time wasters if they are not
well organized. The first thing you should do to respect everyone's time and
make your meeting as efficient as possible is to schedule it in advance. Then,
take time to prepare an agenda that outlines focus points and sets a structure
for the meeting. Take notes and capture important elements of the meeting and
send the summary to participants. This will confirm the time well spent.
Effective
communication can be important to your business success. It may be worthwhile
taking the time to reinforce practices in your organization to ensure improved
results. I hope these suggestions help.
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