This skill includes both verbal and written skills. Verbal communication includes both listening and speaking.
It starts with being able to listen. We all think we listen – we do it every day when we speak with someone, but are we really hearing what the person is saying? Listening is so important because you need to understand what the speaker is saying, interpret what the speaker said, and succinctly restate what you heard. It means being able to clarify information if you didn’t understand something the speaker said by asking relevant questions.
Speaking is something else we do daily. How we say something is often more important than what we say.
Written communications is being able to convey thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in memos, emails, or even texts.
This post will focus on verbal communication, which you know is both listening and speaking. We are going to discuss interpersonal communication among two or more people. Verbal communication also includes public speaking but that will be saved for a later post, as will a discussion of body language which can also communicate a lot, even though it is non-verbal. When you speak in a business setting you are orally conveying intent or meaning; your purpose is not small talk but purposefully responding to a request or taking the initiative to tell a co-worker, a customer, or a supervisor something that is necessary for them to know. Before you can speak, you must understand the situation and that often means listening for understanding before responding.
Listening and hearing are often used interchangeably but they mean something different. Hearing is our brain processing sounds, but ACTIVE LISTENING with attention means we should be able to understand the directions or information and repeat it back accurately. So we HEARD what the speaker said, and we UNDERSTOOD what was said. JUDGING is the third part to listening and it means deciding if what you heard is accurate. While trying to judge the accuracy of what we heard, keep in mind that our knowledge, experience, and culture can shape how we interpret what we heard.
- An active listener shows respect for the speaker’s words and encourages clarification for better understanding. This also builds good relationships between you and the speaker.
- Active listening provides a way to check that you understood what was said.
- Active listening reassures the speaker that you understand.
In other words, Active Listening is an organized way of listening and responding that keeps your attention focused on the speaker. That means:
- Making eye contact
- Nodding to show understanding
- Smiling (when appropriate)
- Avoid distractions and be attentive such as not paying attention to your cell phone
- Affirming comments such as “Yes”, “I see”, and "I understand"
- Ask clarifying questions or restate what was said to allow the speaker the opportunity to agree that you understood, or to correct you if you misunderstood. People appreciate knowing you care enough to make sure you understood.
So why is it important to LISTEN? We listen for information, for directions, to understand, for pure pleasure, and to learn, among many others. Once your co-workers and supervisors know that you are an active listener, you will be recognized as a more valuable employee.
Let’s turn our attention to SPEAKING SKILLS. You intuitively know many reasons for speaking such as giving others information, persuading people to do something or to see things your way, to ask for something you need, and to solve problems, often in a team or group setting. However, the way you speak in the workplace is often very different than how you speak with your friends and family. In the workplace you are dealing with customers, co-workers, and supervisors and they expect respectful discussions. Remember, how you say something is more important than what you say.
In a business setting it's also important to use what is called STANDARD ENGLISH. It simply means the formal way of speaking and writing that you were taught in school; it’s the language of business and how adults speak in the world of work.
- It’s clear and proper speech
- It’s grammatically correct
- It’s free of slang and juvenile expressions
- It’s the way TV and radio newscasters speak when reporting
- It’s the way politicians speak when addressing YOU, the public
- People believe that a person who speaks Standard English is intelligent and educated
Slang can be fun and bonding and you can still use slang. But use it in a personal and casual discussion, and keep it out of the workplace.
In summary, employers expect employees to:
- Listen, receive information, interpret what they heard, and respond appropriately to verbal messages and cues.
- Speak in Standard English
- Use questions to clarify and verify information
- Speak in a calm and appropriate tone of voice
- Know when to communicate your ideas and concerns to them
Our next post will tackle another part of communication – WRITING SKILLS. We will discuss formal business memos and letters, as well as email and other forms of electronic communications.
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