Human relationships are based solely on communication, plus most successful businesses do so because of the effective communication they employ. Effective management communication is essential to provide employees with an adequate sense of belonging, information and training. There are a number of ways to improve your communication in business management to increase the morale of productivity, motivation and total employees, and Jorge Zuñiga Blanco, a successful entrepreneur and business operations expert, discusses how.
Because information is available, people involved in business management decisions create a system that allows you to communicate quickly and effectively with people. As a strategy, you can develop an email account with the right contacts and you can use it to notify the people involved. Tracking emails with a phone call or voice messaging system to confirm your email address is another interesting strategy. If possible, hold a meeting to review the details of information where questions can be answered and provide clarity on different topics.
Communication doesn’t just mean using words. Explains Zuñiga, “Many managers fail effective communication because listeners aren’t getting the full picture. Communication must be fully understood by the listener to be effective. Write down all your thoughts before communicating. After you write down the details, read them aloud to see if they sound clear and concise.” Keep in mind that EVERYTHING communicates: your words, your gestures, your clothes, the place you choose, your tone of voice. Therefore, carefully select the words you are going to use. Also, look at all the other communicating elements. Put yourself in the place of your employees and try to anticipate how they will perceive your message. Plan around that.
Consistency between verbal and nonverbal communication is essential for effective communication. Verbal communications are the words used to send a message, while nonverbal communications are messages sent without the use of words such as gestures, tones, and actions. Be consistent and move forward with any instructions or information given. For example, if you instill a new policy that mentions that reports must be delivered at 4 PM every day, your nonverbal communication should also communicate everything you want to mention about tracking this policy. Build systems that enable you to effectively track and be consistent with your verbal communication and nonverbal communication.
Choose the right medium to interact with employees. “The means you use to communicate greatly influences the effectiveness of the message,” asserts Zuñiga. “Establish multiple ways of communicating in your company and assign one or more purposes for each route. For example, if you need to break bad news to the team, try doing it in person. Any other means will be impersonal and make you look less distanced from the situation.”
You won’t be able to effectively communicate your ideas if you’re not clear about the goal. Any official communication must have a purpose and should not deviate from it. This does not dilute the message or confuse employees. Asserts Zuñiga, “If you have multiple topics to communicate with, consider splitting the topics into two (or more) messages. Communicate the most important topics in person and explain the rest of the topics in writing, either by email or in a memorandum.”
It is important to share your impression of the results of important initiatives and efforts, praise or criticism. Executive and managerial feedback should guide your employees’ efforts to achieve goals. They can also motivate them to do their best. If your feedback is not positive, offer some tool to help the employee improve.
Not doing so will send conflicting signals that can be misunderstood. As a result, you’ll create mistrust among your employees and this will foster a negative work environment. In addition, inconsistent or conflicting messages may give the impression that you are one of those leaders who demand what they are unwilling to give. That perception automatically detracts from your credibility and respect.
