Effective Communication in Business
Good communication equals good management, so it’s important for business leaders to make sure their employees not only hear but also understand the message and what it means to them, writes Joe Bisogno, founder and CEO of Mr. Goodcents in De Soto, Kan.
By Joe Bisongo, Guest Author -- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 8/1/2007
If you're in business, you've probably heard the saying, "Plan your work; work your plan." And, you probably started out with some sort of business plan to get you started, even if it was only in your head.
But, in order to plan your work, work your plan - and be successful - you have to communicate that plan to the people who participate in your business. Communication isn't just disseminating facts. Communication is the key to the relationships that are the foundation of your business. And relationships are a two-way street.
That means as a business leader or manager you must not only understand the people you are communicating with, but also make sure the other people understand you. This sounds simplistic, but that's not always the case.
Let's look at this through the eyes of a child for a minute:
As a parent you tell your child, on your way out the door, to clean his/her room. The child proceeds by throwing all of the clothes that are on the floor into the closet and closing the door. Then, the child throws a blanket over the bed, covering the sheets and pillows, and, last but not least, throws all of the toys under the bed. The room looks clean - but is it? You come back later to see if the room is clean and find clothes piled on the closet floor, the bed not properly made and toys thrown under the bed.
“Communication is the key to the relationships that are the foundation of your business.” |
It's obvious from this example that the parent and the child have two different definitions of the word "clean." And herein lies the key to effective communication: shared meaning.
The three keys to achieving shared meaning in business communication include:
1. The message must be presented clearly, in detail and in terms the receiver can understand.
2. The receiver must listen closely, ask questions for clarity and trust the sender.
3. The content of the message should connect with the receiver in some way, be it rational, emotional or both.
We often don't realize that something as simple as body language, facial expressions or tone of voice can influence the first key, presentation of the message. To communicate effectively, the speaker must take these things into consideration in addition to the details of his message. It is often these non-verbal clues that can communicate most effectively to the receiver about the gravity of the message.
The second key, involving the message receiver, relates to the important issue of trust. In order for the presenter to have the full attention of the listener, and for the listener to be uninhibited enough to question what is not clear, there must be a level of trust between the presenter and receiver. Establishing this trust can take place through something as complex as a years-long working relationship, or as simple as the presenter's inquiry into the receiver's well being.
The success of the third key, the connection of the content, relies heavily on the success of the first two issues. If a message is communicated in the right way, and understanding and trust exist between the sender and receiver, then most certainly the content will result in a rational or emotional connection.
At this point, the proverbial light bulb goes off, and that connection, or shared meaning, can lead to the presenter's primary intention: action on the part of the receiver.
And that's not only effective communication. That's effective management.
