Communication: we are constantly bombarded by it. It may be in the form of spoken or written words, pictures, gestures, symbols and (for an interesting few) telepathic messages from a variety of intriguing sources. Most of the communication that enters our life can be ignored or quickly forgotten. Forgetting the joke heard at the water fountain, last night’s sitcom, or your neighbor’s complaints about his terrible job are not likely to create any major upheaval in your world. But in the workplace, effective communication is essential to our progress and well being.

Without workplace communication, nothing would be accomplished. Instructions could not be given; equipment and supplies could not be ordered; progress could not be measured; and services could not be delivered to citizens. The five functions of management – planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling – are all dependent on communication. In fact, in surveys of highly successful managers across the nation, the ability to communicate effectively was identified as the most important skill a manager needs for success.

It is a simple process. Communication involves three elements – a message, someone to send the message and someone to receive the message. When a message is sent and received, communication has occurred but this does not necessarily mean the communication has been effective. Effective communication occurs only when the message that the sender intended is exactly the same message received by the person to whom it was sent.

Precision and Clarity: The Keys to Effective Communication

Precision and clarity are the keys. Precision means saying exactly what you intend to say. Clarity means saying it in such a way that it will be understood by the person receiving the message. Precision and clarity overlap in many areas and it is possible to be precise without being clear, or vice versa.

One barrier to clarity is vocabulary. While an extensive vocabulary may be impressive to some, it can be a hindrance to getting your point accross. If a person is not familiar with the meaning of the words used, the intended message is lost. A person who runs into a building and yells “Conflagration” will not get anywhere near the reaction of someone who yells “Fire.” Good communicators know that they must adjust their vocabulary to their audience.

On the flip side, some people misuse words they think they understand. Sometimes a word “sounds” right to a person but it may not mean what he thinks it does. As Archie Bunker might say, “Some people have a vagrant disregard for proper use of the English language.”

Vague words or phrases, those that have no specific meaning, are a problem in both precision and clarity. The terms old man, long trip and expensive car will mean different things to different people based on factors such as age, economic status and culture. However, 75-year-old man, 2,000-mile-trip and $50,000 car will mean the same to everyone. In the work setting, asking a person to complete a report “as soon as possible” may mean by 10 a.m. tomorrow morning to the boss. To the overworked clerk, however, “as soon as possible” might mean six weeks from now after all her other projects are completed. In communicating expectations to employees, a rule that managers need to follow is, “If you want a specific result, you need to give specific instructions.”

In memos or letters, complex and awkward sentence and paragraph structure can really get in the way. Anyone who has read federal law or regulation is probably familiar with this problem. Simple, straight forward sentences are much easier to understand than long complex ones. The following is an excellent example on how communication can be improved by the KISS (Keep It Short and Simple) method:

During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt ask one of his aides to prepare a memo telling government employees how to darken buildings in the event that a blackout was declared because of a possible air raid. This is what the aide wrote:

Such preparation shall be made as will completely obscure all Federal Buildings, occupied by the Federal Government, during an air raid for any period of time from visibility by reason or internal or external illumination. Such obscuration may be obtained by means of blackout construction or by termination of illumination. This will, of course, require that in building areas in which work must continue during the blackout, construction must be provided so that internal illumination will continue. Other areas may be obscured by termination of illumination.

President Roosevelt read the memo and rewrote to say:

In case of an air raid, turn out the lights. If you have to keep working, put something over the windows.

Something to keep in mind in written communication is that the more words and punctuation in a sentence, the more likely it is to be confusing.

Pronouns can be another problem area in effective communication. When we speak or write, we know exactly to whom or what he, she, it, we, or they refers but it may not always be that clear to the person receiving our message. For example, consider the following statement, “If the kitten won’t drink the milk because it is too cold, put it in the microwave for a few seconds.” Depending on how on how that sentence is interpreted, there will either be a bowl of warm milk or a cooked cat. When using pronouns, there should be no question as to what the pronoun refers to.

Hidden Communication

“I heard what he said but his body language told me what he really meant.” Body language can definitely affect how our messages are received. Posture, facial expression, position of the hands and arms, and eye contact are a few examples of things people interpret to get our “true message.” Depending on our understanding and control of this body language, we can either reinforce or damage the message we wish to send.

Physical surroundings also can impact the message we want to send. For example, if we take an employee to an area that is free of noise and other distractions to talk with him or her, the employee is likely to see the message as being very important. If, on the other hand, we speak to the employee in an area where there is a great deal of activity, noise and other distractions, the employee probably feels that the message is fairly trivial.

How something is said, whether verbally or in writing, also can affect workplace communication. There are those supervisors whose verbal instructions sound like something from a Gestapo general and whose memos sound like laws handed down by a police state dictator. While these messages may be precise and clear, they are not well received by employees. Asking and telling an employee to do something will produce the same result, but asking will not produce the resentment that telling does. Employees like to be treated with respect and dignity, and, if a supervisor sets the tone and content of communications to do this, it will help develop a more productive and supportive workforce.

Feedback: The Insurance Policy Of Communication

How can we be sure that an employee fully understands what we want done? Try feedback – have the employee tell you what he or she understands your message to be. Because of a fear of appearing to be incompetent, many employees will not spontaneously give feedback or ask for clarification of instructions. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that the employee received the “intended message” by asking for feedback.

To maintain employee morale and positive relationships, feedback needs to be requested carefully. “Tell me what you are supposed to do so I will know you understood what I told you.” This is an example of a feedback request that will definitely turn an employee off. Your unintentional message is telling the employee that you don’t think he or she is smart enough to understand your instructions. However, if the supervisor appears to assume the blame for possible miscommunication, the employee is less likely to feel intimidated. A better statement might be, “This is a very important assignment and I want to be sure that I was able to tell you exactly what needs to be done. Will you please go over the assignment as you understand it so I can clarify anything that I may not have been clear on.”

Listening: The Flip Side To Communication

Listening is just as important as speaking, when it comes to communication. The supervisor who is a good listener is more likely to have employees who help identify and solve work-related problems. The reason is not surprising. Just as we like to have our boss hear and respect our ideas, our employees want us to hear and respect their ideas.

We do need to remember, however, that there are barriers to receiving messages just as there are barriers to sending messages, including:

• 1. Lack of interest in the subject.We tend to listen more closely to subjects in which we have an interest. However, as supervisors, we are responsible for the “whole job” which means that it is important to pay attention to communication about all aspects of our operations, not just our pet projects.
• 2. Distractions. Noise, work activities, phone calls and other interruptions can be detrimental to effective listening. When your employees want to talk with you, show them respect by talking with them in a place with minimal distractions.
• 3. Attitude toward the person. As humans, we naturally have certain individuals that we like better than others and it is easy to listen to them. However, we cannot afford to ignore input from an employee who does not rate as high on our personal “likability” scale.
• 4. Defensiveness. No one likes to hear negative things about something that is of special interest to him or her. We need to remember, however, that we cannot let these personal feelings get in the way of objective listening and thinking in the work place.
• 5. Evaluation and judgment. This is the old “my-mind-is made-up-so-don’t-confuse-me-with-the-facts” syndrome. We need to keep an open mind because our decisions aren’t always perfect and new facts may help us change to a better decision.

By breaking down these barriers, our employees will be more willing to come to us with their questions, concerns and suggestions. Since the employees are the ones closest to the issues in the workplace, they are the ones in the best position to give us input that will help us do a better job as a supervisor.

Communication Credibility: The Key To Effective Supervision

Credibility is what makes communication work. It is a feeling of belief and comfort in the supervisor’s communication process. When employees know that the supervisor is giving valid information, is not withholding information, and is available to listen, there is no need for employees to go elsewhere to get information. Not only does it mean the supervisor's word is getting across, it also reduces the number of negative rumors that seem to spring up where communication is poor.

The following are steps a supervisor can take to earn communication credibility:

• Always be honest in your communications with your employees.
• Avoid the “need-to-know” syndrome. Employees like to know what is going on so keep them informed.
• Only make promises that you intend to keep and are able to keep.
• Don’t be afraid to use the two phrases - “I was wrong” and “You were right.”
• Respect the ideas and opinions of your staff. Never make fun of an idea presented by one of your employees.
• Actively seek advice from your employees.
• Be sure your employees get credit for their accomplishments. Never claim an employee’s idea or plan is yours.
• Encourage your employees to ask questions and be sure that their questions are answered.
• Make yourself available to your employees.
• When talking to an employee, do so at a time and place that will minimize distraction.
• When listening to an employee, listen actively. Take notes if necessary.
• Be aware of and control the “unintentional” message senders.

Communication skills, like other skills, are best developed through practice. As you communicate with those around you, think about how effectively you are using the techniques we have discussed. As these skills become part of your everyday communication process, you will be amazed at how those around you seem to have developed better skills in understanding.