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Butlers Point of Sale Logistics – Communication is less about being understood and more about not being misunderstood
07 Mar 2016 by Johan / No Comments
With the tough economic climate on our horizon, and our ultimate challenge of doing more with less, Communication remains a major obstacle in business and the new 4 generational work force doesn’t make matters easy. To understand how to communicate better we need to understand the emotions behind the words we use as well as the frame of reference our message is interpreted through. (Nero Linguistics Programming – NLP)
Global English conducted a study revealing that poor communication skills by mid to senior managers not only created tension in the office but also had a direct impact on sales and the creation of new sustainable revenues. 83% of the respondents agreed that poor communication affects the company’s blended value, directly effecting triple bottom line results, whilst 97% of the respondents cited the use of incorrect linguistics leads to misunderstanding and loss of productivity in the workplace.
Barriers to effective communication:
- Stress – Stress is a brick wall when it comes to communication. Stress causes an opportunity for people to misinterpret each other and send mixed non-verbal cues. Most of us deal with stress on a daily basis but we shouldn’t introduce poison into a conversation.
- Being distracted – It’s a proven statement that multitasking is a myth. To communicate effectively we need to be present, and focused on the person we are speaking to, not checking emails or involved in any other than that of the conversation.
- Negative body language – It’s difficult to control your body language if you disagree with the topic at hand but crossing your arms and avoiding eye contact for example isn’t conductive to effective communication and leads to barrier building.
- A negative attitude – being hostile, aggressive or self-centred are things to avoid. Lecturing and punishing employees creates an environment that discourages employees to engage in conversation.
- Long drawn-out monologues discourage employees. Effective communication requires input from two or more individuals within a short time frame. Meet your co-workers in the middle by finding a solution that will suit both of you.
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Effective communication:
- Really listen – Be attentive to the person talking and don’t interrupt them, Show that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say and create a space for them to speak freely without judgement. In this way you can really benefit from the conversation. It’s astounding how much we can learn when we switch off the little voice in our heads.
- Control your stress and stay calm – It’s important to realize when your stress levels are rising. Take a deep breath and try to see the funnier side of things.
- Avoid distractions during a conversation – this includes keeping your body language in check. Research shows that 55% of the way we interpret a message is through the speaker’s body language and facial expressions – women pay more attention to facial expressions than men do. The speaker’s voice only accounts for 37% and the words them speaker uses only accounts for 8% of the way we interpret a message. Non-verbal actions often speak louder than words.
- Confront sensitive topics in the workplace head on, so problems don’t escalate and cause resentment.
- Develop trust, this will create a safe, cooperative work environment and will contribute to a positive team dynamic. Your employees need to trust you… the message you want to portray and the way it’s introduced in order to have open communication.
- Be empathetic – seek first to understand and then to be understood.
- See the lighter side of a situation every now and then. Laughter dissipates tense situations and creates a sense of community among employees which allows for better communication.
- Keep it clear and simple – Shorten meeting times and speeches, this creates maximum focus and minimum confusion.
Take this into consideration the next time you speak to a co-worker or a potential client.
These are the 3 things we all want to know before we start a conversation.
- Is this going to be a sensitive topic?
- How long will this take?
- After the conversation what do you essentially want from me?
Once we have established these parameters we will be in a stronger position to start a meaningful conversation.
Communication is imperative to the success of an organisation or personal relationship, learning to communicate properly requires practise and patience but will ultimately lead to profitability.
At Butlers POS Logistics, we actively drive the culture of the learning organization. We believe that through the awareness of active listening we drive strong integrated teams with one focus in mind, To become one with our clients brand and serve with the conviction of having maximum impact on the lives we touch.
Best Regards,
The Butlers Point of Sale Logistics Research and Development Team
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