| A client said the other day, “I hate repeating myself. I have no patience for it, and so I don’t like to do it”. When you say something that the other person does not understand, you have a communication problem. The goal with all communication is effective communication – it moves both parties to connect, share information, get directions to move something forward, or be heard. You are closing off communication because you “don’t want to repeat yourself.” It shuts down communication and wastes everyone’s time because you won’t move things forward. So many mishaps happen because of poor communication, and examples abound. Just last week, the top golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, was arrested because of miscommunication as he tried to get to the golf course for his PGA tournament. Here are some poor communication stats worth considering. Poor communication: Decreases Productivity: In a survey of 1,000 employed Americans, almost half (49%) reported that poor communication negatively affects their productivity. – ForbesDecreases Job Satisfaction: Poor communication lowers employee confidence (30%), decreases job satisfaction (34%), and pushes employees to consider looking for a new job (22%). – GrammarlyCompromises Morale: 33% of HR managers believe poor communication is central to most employee morale problems. – AccountempsCauses of Mistakes and Errors: Poor communication can cause individuals to misunderstand instructions, expectations, or requirements. This can lead to unnecessary mistakes or errors. For example, in the medical field, an estimated 80% of serious medical errors result from miscommunication.” – National Library of Medicine. |
| Worth The Share |
| I just learned that some newer communication techniques are unnecessarily causing additional stress on employees. My dear friend and fellow coach, Liz Guthridge, wrote about them in her recent blog post, including hey hanging, bumping up, and splaying and how they could instill fear or anxiety in the receiver of that message. These techniques are worth learning about, so I asked Liz if I could share them with you: |
| 1. Hey hanging occurs when a boss or senior leader sends you a greeting via Slack or text like Hi, Hey or Hey there, and does not share any context. Because there is no context, the brain might fear the worst. 2. Bumping up is when you resend a message to someone with some copy that says, “I’m popping this to the top of your inbox because..” I admit I have done this and did not realize that I might have made the recipient feel guilty or annoyed. Liz recommends you check in to see how they are doing and share new information when using this tactic. |
| 3. Splaying (a term Liz uses) happens when we use multiple channels, such as email and text, for the same topic. It is confusing and frustrating because, as she writes, we waste time hunting for information on various channels. Be clear with your colleagues about your preferred channel and stick to one. Take a minute to read “Want to lower anxiety at work? Avoid these 3 popular communication practices“. |
| #wisewords “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” — Tony Robbins |
| And Finally… |
| Effective Communication is a big topic with many components, but we must start somewhere. Those who know me know one of my favorite words is “intentional”. Think about your communication style and your audience. Are you being heard? Are you listening? Do have clarity? Does the listener? Are you fully present? Is your body language in sync with your words? |
| To learn more, read this article on Effective Communication written by Lawrence Robinson, Jeanne Seagal, Ph.D. and Melinda Smith, M.A. The more effort we put into being effective communicators, the more we can support each other, lessen miscommunications, and move understanding and business forward. |
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