Effective Communication
Effective Communication in employment is key to achieving goals.
How do we communicate?
There are 3 main ways that we communicate:
- Only 7% of communication is through the words we use
- 38% of communication is our tone of voice or how we say it (pitch, pace, volume, emotion, detail)
- 55 % of communication is non- verbal cues, our body language or physiology (Eye-contact, posture, gestures, facial expressions).
Communication skills that employers seek are:
Oral communication
Listening
Written communication
Public Speaking
Adaptability
Assertiveness
Assertiveness in the workplace is a key communication skill. Assertive communication characteristics include:
- Openly sharing your view/opinion but take on board the views of others
- Open, welcoming body language
- Using a conversational tone
- Being appropriately honest
- Using a clear steady use of voice
- Builds up others as well as yourself
- Willing to compromise
- Using warm, friendly eye contact
- Being able to be firm but polite and ale to say no when needed
- Desires feedback and works on improvements
- Being expressive
What are the benefits of assertiveness in the workplace?
- It can improve your confidence and self- esteem – you will recognise your value and what you have to offer and therefore feel better about your work performance.
- Greater contributions to team performance – having positive lines of communication through assertiveness helps to make sure that each member of the team, including you, contributes to the task as hand and the overall success.
- Improvement in stress management – assertive communication involves confidently expressing concerns and contributing to problem solving. Assertiveness helps to empower you to cope with interpersonal skills that may arrive. Overall assertiveness will help to minimise stress and create a happier and healthier work environment.