To say communication is important in the business world is probably redundant. Any professional with even a little experience knows how essential it is to develop those communication skills. Maintaining an open dialogue with those you work with allows for benefits like more effective collaborations, as well as avoiding issues like misunderstandings. However, even once you’ve developed those all-important communication skills and established those open work relationships, a change in those relationships can greatly affect how you’re able to communicate.
If you find yourself in a manager role, or looked at as “the boss”, those colleagues that you were able to communicate easily are now your subordinates and that line of communication is a little fractured. This doesn’t mean there’s hard feelings or animosity involved, but sometimes when you’re in those positions of power, you can find communicating more difficult. However, good communication trickles down, so how can you ensure effective communication as the boss?
Just say hello.
One of the most important aspects that many bosses tend to miss is making employees feel as though communicating with their boss doesn’t need to be a stressful thing. Establish an ease and natural way of communicating with your employees by simply giving the occasional hello. Engage in small talk when appropriate, talk about things that aren’t necessarily work-related. This opens up a more relaxed, conversational nature of communication which will make your employees feel as though they can approach you as needed.
Check in.
Of course, you can’t just wait for them to come to you. Good communication is a two-way street, so sometimes you need to be the one to open up that line of communication. While your employees should be able to come to you with anything, it is good to encourage them by occasionally checking in with them. It’s an opportunity to get updates on projects while giving them the opportunity to bring up anything they might have on their mind. Be it trouble they are having with the work, concerns they have, or even just clarifications, this is the time they can be heard.
Make everyone feel valued.
While good communication can help the day-to-day operations run smoothly, the value it can have in terms of office morale should not be understated. In organizations with a lot of moving parts, sometimes it can be difficult to keep track of who is doing what. But a company can run into a lot of trouble when their employees’ good work starts to go unnoticed. As the boss, it’s essential you make your employees feel as though they are being recognized for everything they are putting into the job. Give them a “job well done” after successfully delivering on a new project. It might seem like small, insignificant gesture but it gives employees the motivation and purpose to keep churning out quality work.
Let them do the talking.
Part of being a good communicator is being a good listener. As the boss, most people will be waiting to hear what you have to say. Therefore, it’s important to give your employees the opportunity to be heard. Schedule meetings and ask them questions, invite feedback and open discussions. Don’t just let them talk for the sake of being heard, consider what they are saying and let a conversation occur.
Good communication can thrive at any level as long as you pay respect, openness and attention to all parties involved.