Communication

The work environment has undergone many changes in the last few years, with the abolishment of the 9 to 5 routine, the development of women and minority groups in the workplace, and an increase in pace. It's a lot more aggressive out there, and we're expected to fit a lot more into our days. Today's generation is also more prone to stress-related illness when it can be avoided, or at least reduced. The way you feel about your job, the work you do, your colleagues and your work environment has plenty to do with your attitude towards your workplace. A person with a negative attitude will be more likely to suffer the effects of stress than someone who is positive, and who sees obstacles as challenges instead of problems. Employees today need to have excellent time management skills, the ability to be flexible in their outlook, and should have exceptional communication skills. Tall order, but it makes sense. That is what works best in the workplace environment these days, a far cry from our predecessors 20 years ago. These qualities build the base for maximising your potential in the workplace, and are vital for healthy career progression. Are you a good communicator? Do you know the difference between hearing and listening? Do you know how to speak clearly without causing confusion? While many of us would quickly answer "yes" to both, most of us could do with honing our communication skills. Confusing someone by something you say doesn't mean that you speak unclearly or say crazy things - you can confuse someone by the way you communicate your point, i.e. with body language, the tone of your voice, and whether or not you make eye contact. Subliminal maybe, but these factors have an impact on how your message is conveyed and received. To minimise confusion and to improve your speaking skills, you can: 1) Be to the point - too much unnecessary information will detract attention away from the point you're trying to make. 2) Summarise what you've said to reiterate key points. 3) Ask questions to confirm that your message has been clearly understood. In the same way, we can become confused when others communicate to us. By listening actively (a skill most of us need to develop) we can eliminate a lot of misunderstanding. 1) Don't just hear what you want to, LISTEN and take in the information. 2) Confirm that you've understood what was said by asking questions. 3) Listen to what is being communicated before jumping to conclusions or becoming defensive.