Why ‘good communication’ is not enough

In the business world, you often hear how important it is to be a “good communication to communication”, but what does that mean? I completely challenge this concept. Communication is not about good or bad in it, but instead it is either effective or ineffective.

Being an effective communication does not always mean being well -speaking or charming. The alignment between what was said, what was heard and what was said. If these three elements are synchronized, you will have effective communication that produce results.

Related: Effective communication means business success

The effects of ineffective communication

When communication is ineffective, companies suffer, as it creates misunderstanding, unintentional conflict and anxiety by stimulating itself, which can create high business and lost opportunities.

Fiction behind “good” communication

Once the misconception is that some people are just “naturally good” to communicate. From the truth, communication is a learned skill, like financial literacy or leadership. If you lack the appropriate tools, you may not be expected to communicate effectively. If you are unaware and don’t consider how others receive information, then your best messages may be flat.

This is especially true when you have different teams full of communication style. Since some people are based on analytical and detail, and the other prefer a review or short summary, leaders talk in a way they prefer, which can isolate some people they are trying to guide.

I refer it as a golden roll and communication platinum roll. The golden principle is to behave with others You Want to treat, while the Platinum rule asks to behave with others They Want to treat This is a game changer that makes all the difference when talking to your team.

Communication Error

Since I work with companies of multiple industries, ineffective communication is almost always at the root of operational or cultural dysfunction. A recent example of this is that when I saw a client struggling to rally the team member for a voluntary action weekend. The owner saw voluntary opportunities as the involvement of a meaningful community, while his team member saw it as a more unparalleled work. The owner assumed that his employee was slow, while he believes his boss is unconcerned. How did each of them have such different ideas? He tried to encourage her to encourage her – not on her who resonates with her.

This is most part of the controversy at the workplace: people passing through each other and seeing the same situation through different lenses. Although it is certainly possible for a different approach for two people who are both correct, without effective communication, they will collide instead of aligning the approach.

Related: How to Avoid these common communication errors at the workplace

Emotional goods

Emotions are another reason that communication is often ineffective. Often, people interpret the emotional meaning that we hear – especially if the opinion feels critical. Emotional element can increase misinterpretation and conflict. It is very important for leaders to maintain emotions, accept feedback in the spirit that it means and create a culture where both positive and negative opinions are viewed as a gift rather than a danger.

Technology

Technology is a two -edged sword that has changed our style of communication. On the positive side, it allows us to meet people where they are-prefer some texts, the slow attitude of others, and some face to face the conversation or phone call. Another way to apply the principle of platinum is to consider priority mediums.

The negative aspect of technology is noisy. With the increase in communication channels – e -mail, text, teams, WhatsApp, DMS – Losing track of conversation, losing key messages or causing confusion. This can produce threads for the team scattered in apps that have no clear follow -up or accountable. Business to avoid these potential adverse effects, businesses need to deliberately and set expectations about communication platforms.

Building Culture of Effective Communication

Business, to promote the team’s environment and effective communication culture, should start by creating an environment where no idea is “bad”, and opinion is always welcomed by any team member. The two practical strategies I recommend is:

1. “Yes, and …” – Instead of “yes, but…” who close people, use “yes, and …” to keep the conversation open and constructive. For example, “Yes, and I want to understand your point of view more about the decision.”

2. Diagnosis and training of disk – Investing in emotional intelligence and communication tools for your team can make the difference. I use a disk diagnosis to help teams understand behavior and stimulation differences, which facilitates people to adopt their perspective and connect more efficiently.

Related: 9 best processes to improve your communication skills and become a more efficient leader

When communication is effective, it makes a team full of clarification, confidence and alignment with a foundation, where innovation and cooperation grow. Most importantly, it all provides a common language, from leadership to the frontline, to move forward to success. Next time you are worried about whether your communication is “good” or “bad”, stop and reset: Is it effective? Is this receiving my way of intending? If not, it may be time to adjust your point of view.