 “a positive ‘can do’ attitude and a willingness to grasp opportunities”

 “We want you to demonstrate a dynamic approach”

 “We’re after ambitious graduates who can respond with pace and energy to
every issue they face...”
 “We are looking for graduates who have the right attitude to change...”
 “...respond positively to change and the challenges and opportunities it
brings”

What makes a person adaptable / flexible?

When assessing adaptability and flexibility, recruiters may look for someone who can show:

 Intellectual flexibility – keeping an open mind is important. You should be able to

demonstrate that you can integrate new information and draw conclusions from it,
and that you can switch from the detail to the big picture.
 Receptiveness – particularly to change. Being able to respond with a positive
attitude and a willingness to learn new ways to achieve targets and objectives is a
key competency.
 Creativity – actively seeking out new ways of doing things and having confidence to
improvise or experiment.
 Modification of behaviour –  you are able to adjust your style of working or method
of approach to meet the needs of a situation or emergency.

Some people are naturally adaptable – in fact, they thrive on change and the unexpected
and alter their routines as much as they can. However, if you are the kind of person who
has a ‘to do’ list and doesn’t like it when something arises which isn’t on your list, then you
aren’t naturally adaptable. You will, though, have learnt how to become adaptable and
flexible through experience. You might even have the advantage over others as you will
have used your planning and organising skills to change your behaviour. See also our
section on initiative, problem solving and decision making as the skills are very similar.
Whatever your natural tendencies, you have to be able to prove to an employer that you
can:

 Look for positive ways to make changes work rather than identifying why change will
not work (say "yes" rather than "no" as a first instinct)
 Adapt to change and new ways of working quickly and easily
 Make suggestions for increasing the effectiveness of changes
 Show willingness to learn new methods, procedures, or techniques
 Shift your priorities in response to the demands of a situation
 Bounce back from setbacks and maintain a positive attitude

How do you prove to a recruiter you have these

skills?
You won't be shortlisted for that job by stating “I can adapt to situations” or “I am flexible in
the way I work”, you have to prove it by giving appropriate examples. You can draw on
situations like these to help you demonstrate your adaptability:

 Living abroad as part of an exchange programme

 Moving to this country to study
 Balancing your study commitments with part-time work
 Working or living with people of different ages and cultures
 Work experience, particularly placements and internships
 Voluntary work experience

Think of an example of when you have had to adapt to change or had to be flexible in a
situation. Then use the STAR technique to describe it:

S Define the Situation

T Identify the Task

A Describe your Action

R Explain the Result

This technique is useful at all stages of the selection process so it is worthwhile getting to
grips with it. Here’s an example:
 
Define the SITUATION: (where were you; what were you doing? what was the context)
I initially applied to study Pharmacy at University, acting on my family’s advice. I knew I
would have to achieve high grades in my A levels, particularly Chemistry, which is not one
of my best subjects. Several of my friends were applying to Brighton University and I did
too. I got an offer and made plans. However, I did not get the B grade I needed in Chemistry
to be accepted onto the course.
Identify the TASK: ( what was your aim? what was the problem?)
I had to re-think my future urgently. I could take up the offer of an alternative course at
Brighton, see if I could get on a Pharmacy course elsewhere or reconsider my career.
Whatever I decided, I had to be flexible as I knew my options were limited.
Describe the ACTION you took: (be clear about what you did)
I decided that what I studied was more important than where I studied it. My favourite
subject is biology and I enjoyed laboratory classes at school. After getting information from
a careers advice helpline and doing some research, I decided to apply for Biomedical
Sciences courses through Clearing. I drew up a shortlist of courses and arranged to visit
three. I was most impressed by the course at Bradford and received an offer from them. I
knew that moving to Bradford would be a challenge as my network of family and friends are
all in the South.
Highlight the RESULT you achieved: (what was the outcome of your actions, what did
you achieve?)
I was, initially, very upset having to change my plans but I'm pleased I did as I am sure I
have made the right decision. Moving to Bradford was hard initially but everyone is very
friendly and I have got to know people from many different cultures as Bradford is so
diverse, and I have particularly enjoyed this. I am also enjoying the course a lot and getting
good marks. I have already decided I want a career in biomedical research and am planning
to do a placement year.
To use the STAR technique effectively, remember:

 You are the STAR of the story, so focus on your own actions, even if they were only
a small part of a larger whole.
 Tell a story and capture the interest of the reader. Include relevant details but don’t
waffle.
 Move seamlessly from the situation, through the task, to your actions, and finally to
the result.

Adapting Your Examples

The example above, for instance, could easily be altered to prove your problem-solving and
decision making skills and could form the basis of an example of planning and organising. It
is worthwhile spending time writing statements like this about all your experiences and then
adapting them to match each recruiters’ specific requirements

You can become more flexible by following these seven steps:

Hate your co-worker or employee? Congratulations! Acknowledging you have a
problem, after all, is the first step towards making things work out.

Ironically, teams in which everyone likes each other are typically weak teams. People
(that includes you) have a tendency to like others who are similar to them. We revel in
similarities. Grew up in the same town as me? You’re awesome! Went to the same
college? Hot diggity dog! Enjoy the same TV show as me? You’re practically my twin.
Gosh, you are amazing! With all those similarities, a team of copy-cats will have tunnel
vision and won’t have complementary skills. Great teams don’t like each other nearly as
much as they respect each other. There is greatness in differences.

Be Like Abe
Abraham Lincoln was famous for building a political cabinet of personal enemies. In a
country that was polarized by a horrific civil war, Lincoln’s genius was to assemble a
cabinet of people who were his sworn enemies. Members of his cabinet may not have
liked him (or vice versa) but it served what the country needed. He built a government
where every American, regardless if he was from the Union or the Confederacy, had at
least one person in the government with whom he agreed.

Your company has a mix of clients with different needs and demands of their own.  Your
company has a mix of things to do, which requires special talents.  Your company
needs diversity, but along with that may come personal conflict (just ask Abe).  Here are
some coping strategies.

1. Stop trying to like everyone. 

A big fallacy of managers is to believe they need to like the person they are managing.
That is not the case at all. The manager just needs to respect what the employee does.
And when I say “respect,” I mean to see genuine value in a talent or ability of that
employee. Stop trying to find things to like about the employee that you hate, just find
something to respect.

2. Find the bigger enemy. 

My consulting group was engaged to help grow a business run by two sisters. The
problem was finger pointing. Each sister blamed their struggles on the other, and they
hated each other. That was until they found out their father was diagnosed with cancer.
Immediately they had an enemy (the cancer) much greater than their hatred for each
other. Instantly, they start to work together amazingly well. Seek to find a common
enemy (perhaps a competitor) that you and the employee you hate can target together.
A common enemy makes the best of friends.

3. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. 

Short, temporary bursts of disgust trumps a continual stream. If you just can’t get over
the fact that you can’t stand the employee you manage, put distance between you and
him. Put him in a different part of the office, or a different office altogether. 

4. Hate your hate, because it hates you. 

The greater the hate you have for your colleague the greater the burden is for you to
carry the weight. Hating her doesn’t hurt her, it hurts you in the form of stress. Forgiving
your sworn enemy does not make what she did alright, but it does release the stress for
you. How do you forgive? Recognize that she is a result of everything she has
experienced in her life, just like you and me. If you experienced every single thing she
did, in the exact same way and at the exact same time, you would be the same. Then
simply say the words out loud, ideally to her.  And if you can’t forgive her face-to-face,
go look at a mirror and say out loud that you forgive her. When you feel forgiveness, the
burden you carry will evaporate and you will be able to manage her again.

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5. What’s your problem? 

The problem with disliking or hating others always boils down to your thoughts.
Challenge yourself to explore what you don’t like about yourself that needs to be fixed.
When you seek out to understand what you don’t like about the person you hate, you
discover more about yourself. Often, when we dislike someone, it is because we see a
behavior in that person that also exists in us. Hate is an indicator that something in you
needs to be fixed. And when you do fix you, you will be able to manage better.

If Abraham Lincoln was able to lead a cabinet full of enemies and put a struggling
country back onto the track to greatness, I think you just might be able to manage those
employees you don’t like (but respect) and put your company back onto the path to
success.

Mike Michalowicz is a founding member of Provendus Group, a society of the world’s

leading business thought leaders who help companies whose growth has plateaued to
move forward again. Michalowicz is the author of The Pumpkin Plan and The Toilet
Paper Entrepreneur and is a nationally recognized speaker on entrepreneurial topics.
His popular blog for entrepreneurs shares strategies and techniques for growing a
business.

Read more of Mike's insights.

Photo: U.S. Library of Congress

How to Tell Your Bosses

They're Wrong
Being Right Without Being Out of Order
 

We all like to be right, but we can't be right all of

the time. Errors made by managers and leaders
can be particularly costly – and, in some cases,
disastrous.
Reputations are built and ruined, money made and lost, and success earned
and risked on the basis of the decisions they take.

But the more organizational power managers have, the less likely people
are to pick them up on mistakes, because, well, they're the boss.

This makes it all the more important to speak up when you know that your
boss is wrong, but the prospect of doing so can unsettle even the bravest
person. Your boss is probably the person who hired you and who signs
your paycheck. He or she is one link above you in the food chain, and he
might not appreciate being outsmarted by a "subordinate." So, do you risk
telling him about his mistake? Or do you bite your tongue and leave the
company to sort out the mess?

If your organization's wellbeing and your own integrity matter to you, it's
important to conquer your fears and to speak up. It may feel unnatural and
risky, and it may go against your office culture, but, when you're graceful
and adept, you can help your boss to put things right without upsetting
anyone.

Click here  to view a transcript of this video.

This article and video guide you through some of the most important
points to consider when you have to tell your boss she's wrong.

Eight Tips for Raising Your Concerns

It can be difficult to predict how your boss will react to being told that
she's wrong. It can amount to insubordination for some managers, but
others value their people's opinions and appreciate being challenged. Some
leaders even expect you to do it.

The key is to do it in the right way, so that your manager doesn't "lose
face." After all, no one likes to be told that they're wrong. Get it right, and
you could give your professional standing a boost. Just bear in mind the
following eight tips.

Note:
This article assumes that your boss is open and reasonable. If you know
from experience that "feeding back" in your company results in
disciplinary hearings more often than fair hearings, take extra care.

1. Do Your Homework
You must be certain that your boss has actually made an error before you
mention it. Remember that he likely has access to more information than
you and that he could, in fact, be right. Double check the issue, because
flagging something incorrectly will only make you look out of touch.

You'll also need to develop at least one possible solution that you can
offer. Try to support your suggestions with data – you may be able to
provide insights that your boss doesn't have. Whether or not your solution
gets adopted, having a remedy at the ready will demonstrate your initiative,
give you credibility, and allow you to move the conversation past the error
to focus on putting things right.

2. Check Your Motives

Before you knock on your boss's door, take a moment to think whether it's
really worth mentioning her mistake. It's probably best to let minor matters
drop, so as not to appear moaning, critical or undermining. This will also
make any intervention that you do make in the future far more impactful.

Also consider whether you feel like speaking up just to be contrary or

nitpicky. You could be about to make matters a whole lot worse, without
good cause. But if there's a solid business reason to worry, or if the mistake
might damage your boss's reputation, she may be relieved to hear your
concerns.

3. Time It Right
Choosing the right moment to grab your boss's attention is crucial. Don't
expect to be able to stride into his office with a list of problems and receive
a warm welcome, or to raise the issue in a team meeting and be thanked for
it. Difficult conversations will most likely go well when you allow your
boss to choose a time when he can give you his full attention.

However, in the event that you spot an immediate and critical problem
unfolding, don't hesitate – you may have little choice but to speak up
publicly, before it's too late. Just remember that it's still your boss's
responsibility to decide how to proceed.
Finding This Article Useful?
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4. Show Respect and Humility

Whenever possible, speak to your boss privately, so that you don't
publicize the issue and embarrass her in front of other people.

If it's an emergency situation and speaking privately isn't an option, raise

the issue respectfully and in a way that doesn't challenge the chain of
command or threaten your boss's position. If he shuts you down mid-flow,
accept this, and take up the issue again later behind closed doors.

Start by politely asking permission to discuss a difficult issue. This gives

your boss a moment to brace herself and to invite you to continue. If all is
well, move on in a spirit of respect. Maturity, empathy and humility will
likely ease the situation, whereas being opinionated, gloating or acting like
you know more than your boss will "go down like a lead balloon."

It's essential to stay professional and to concentrate on the business, even if

you're motivated to speak because of how your boss's error will impact you
personally. The last thing you want to do is to sound as if your own
interests matter more than the company's, or to zero in on your boss's
personal failures, so focus on how her mistake will impact your team's
goals and the company's mission.

5. Mind Your Language

Tread carefully when using words like "wrong" and "mistake." An "I told
you so" tone and blunt language that apportions blame will make it appear
as if you're out to "score a win." If your boss thinks that you've come to
expose or insult him, he'll just dig in or, worse, retaliate.

So, be polite and tactful. Use less emotive, more collaborative language,
and lead your boss into a problem-solving session rather than an argument.
Try to clear the way for him to buy into your ideas without taking offense
or losing face.

6. Escalate Your Concern Cautiously

If you feel that your boss's error has legal, financial or health and safety
implications, you could be justified in escalating your concerns. The HR
department is often a good place to go to test out your thoughts, in
confidence before turning to your boss's boss.

Again, be sure to control your emotions and to moderate your language.

Remember that your own reputation is at stake, too.

If your boss's actions are especially serious, or even illegal, it's important
that you put your concerns in writing, to cover yourself. You might want to
take stronger action, too, but take care, because whistleblowing can itself
have serious consequences.

7. Admit Your Own Mistake

At some point in this process, you might find that it's you who's made a
mistake. Your reaction to being corrected can matter as much as how you
told your boss that he was wrong. Take the correction with good grace and,
if appropriate, offer an apology. Otherwise, you could seriously damage
your relationship with your boss.

8. Let Go
Sometimes, you have to accept that your boss will press ahead. Maybe you
failed to convince her, or she can't be seen to change her mind. Whatever
the reason, when it becomes clear that she's "sticking to her guns" it's
usually best to bow out gracefully and avoid raising the issue again.

In some cases, it might be wise to make a note of the fact that you raised a
concern, in case of future investigations.

Why It's Important to Say "Stop"

By summoning up the courage to let your boss know when he's wrong, you
could prevent a disaster, save a reputation, or protect a career – which
could make you a more valuable employee. Speaking up might feel
uncomfortable, but it's important to do it, because unchallenged authority
can lead to catastrophe.

In the aviation industry, for example, safety depends on good

communication within the cockpit. Flight engineers must be prepared to
tell their captains when they're wrong, just as captains need to listen to
their subordinates.

When researchers found that entrenched hierarchies were preventing this

from happening, the industry transformed its procedures. It encouraged
subordinates to question their superiors and required crews to carry out
post-flight debriefs to discuss what went wrong, what went right, and what
could have been handled better. Over two decades, safety errors by humans
rather than machines dropped by 50 percent, and most captains now
reject cockpit hierarchies in favor of open, two-way communication with
their colleagues.
In contrast, a 2013 study of the U.S. healthcare industry found that
440,000 Americans die each year as a result of preventable medical
mistakes, like administering the wrong medication or operating on the
wrong part of the body. Some of these disastrous outcomes happen
because errors tend to be handled less well in operating theaters than in
the aviation industry.
Nurses don't always raise concerns with surgeons, and surgeons don't
always listen to anesthetists, for example. "Bosses" are generally deferred
to and junior colleagues often hold back from voicing their concerns, for
fear of being ostracized or punished.
But you become part of the problem when you don't speak up about a
boss's mistakes. And then you're complicit in the outcome, too.
Tip:
See our Book Insight on
/community/BookInsights/BlackBoxThinking.phpBlack Box Thinking to
hear more about the dangers of ignoring mistakes.
Key Points
Telling your boss that he or she is wrong can be a daunting prospect. If you
go about it clumsily or with unhelpful motives, working relationships can
be damaged and your job security put at risk.

Many managers, however, are pleased when you let them know that they're
not making the best decision, especially if you prevent a potential crisis by
doing so. Do it respectfully, tactfully, appropriately, and in a timely
manner, and acknowledge your boss's right to make the final decision.

Then you'll be playing your part in averting problems, saving reputations,

and boosting careers – including your own!

1. Focus on your core values.

2. Be open-minded.
3. Develop your skill set.
4. Be optimistic.
5. Stay calm.
6. Plan ahead.
7. Have a strong support network.

Effective Communication Style – The way one’s confidence level

defines the trait of one’s personality, similarly one’s communication skills
reflects the approach and attitude of a person.
Having regular communication is extremely imperative in the current dynamic

business environment with people you are working with to stay proactive and

informed.

In our personal life also communication holds a vital position, as it bridge’s

gaps and connects people with new ideas, expression and vision.

So does one need to be an extrovert to be able to communicate with its

surroundings? Or an introvert suffers poor communication skills? Your

communication style speaks a lot about how you deal with people and

situations along with their probability of being positive, negative or assertive.

Experts believed that an appropriate communication style helps in avoiding

conflict as well as solve issues both in personal and professional life. So let us

understand the different communication styles and the best one that you can

relate to your personality.

  Aggressive Communication

 Passive Communication

 Assertive Communication

 Passive-Aggressive Communication

 Manipulative Communication

Effectively Communication Styles:

 
Aggressive Communication

Image source: pixabay.com

Getting things done by other may seem an easy thing to you and the best way

that suits you is dominating, raising voice with an intimidating posture.

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If this is what attracts you then your personality would adopt an aggressive

communication styles, having forceful and hostile manner to deal with people

and situations.

It can’t be said that adapting to this communication styles is heinous or

unethical as it may be relevant for a certain work set up or sometimes with

difficult people.

The attribute associated with this communication styles leads to people being

too loud, rude and threatening for others at workplace to meet organizational

commitments, deadlines etc.

They may practice the same behaviour in their personal life with friends and

family to get things done as per ones will and fancy. People with aggressive

communication are often misjudged by others; they become alienated by

others due to the feeling of hatred or sometimes fear.

Does your communication styles represent similar traits … do you often say:

“I’ll get my way no matter what” or believe in “I’m superior and right and

you’re inferior and wrong”, then possibly you have an aggressive

communication styles.

A negative component associated with this style is its capacity of humiliating

or hurting others and that’s what the person practicing the communication

styles would get back.

Aggressive communication would make the person intuitive communicator

with least patience in getting into the nitty-gritty of the process and being

straight forward in its approach.

 
Passive Communication
My personal opinion, feelings, ideas can wait; let others raise this issue and I

may follow him… does this line sounds similar to what you think when it

comes to raising your voice or objecting to things you feel uncomfortable

with, if so, then you may have a passive communication styles.

A person with such communication style generally avoids expressing his

feelings, protecting his rights or considering his own needs very easily.

It is also difficult to say that this communication styles has originated from the

introvert behaviour of people at work or in their informal setup but it is certain

that these people fail to assert to themselves.

People with passive communication often restrain themselves from overtly to

hurtful or anger inducing situations. Why to fight over issues that can be

solved with mere silence….

Or people don’t consider my feelings anyways… are these similar to your

thoughts. Stop here and think….. If so then you may practice this

communication style.
Silence is a silent killer for these people as they keep things up to them for too

long until it reaches a stage of high tolerance and it is then when these people

have a high outburst which sometimes may create situations at the work

place.

People with passive communication style in their personal life also are easy to

live with, as they are great listeners and are considered as good friends.

They have a polite nature and soft tone that attracts people towards them very

soon sometimes being a soft and shy person they avoid making eye contact or

have slumped body structure which shows a sign of low confidence.

Such people are often anxious about their future and have lesser control over

their surroundings that may lead to depression or having a feeling of

resentfulness as their needs are ignored by others and by themselves.

 
Assertive Communication
I know what my rights, responsibility and duties are; no one can know them

better than me….. If you believe so and follow it with full heart and soul then

this could be your communication styles.

Assertive communication makes the person straight forward and being

capable of stating his or her opinion and feeling in public without much fear. It

enables the person to firmly advocate about his rights and needs in any

situation without harming or violating the rights of others.

A person with high confidence level not only caters to his or her own needs

and feelings but also respects others. People with assertive communication are

generally very clean hearted and clear with an idea of their personal choice;

they are not easily influenced or can be bluffed by others in a management set

up or even in their personal life.

These individuals respects and value time, as they have clear vision of their

emotional, spiritual as well as physical needs and demand respects not by

advocating but through their contribution.

Do you believe in equal entitlement to express each other respectfully? Then

surely this communication style suits your personality making you feel

connected to people around you and has control of your life.

In a work place people with assertive communication are generally considered

mature, they address to issues and problems on time as and when it arrives.

Along with that they build a respectful environment for others to grow, people

with assertive communication not only stand for themselves but also hold the

courage to point out right or wrong for others.

People with such communication maintain good eye contact with people of

every age, profile and status, have no inferiority complex, have relax body

posture and speaks with a clear & calm tone showcasing huge confidence

both at work as well as personal life.

Another important trait of people adapting to the assertive communication

style is that they are open to criticism, which may seem too difficult for people

to accept both at work as well as in personal space and they are also like

receiving compliments which further boost their confidence.

 
Passive-Aggressive Communication
You may appear subtle but basically you have ample capability to show your

resentment and disapproval in an indirect manner. You may appear

cooperative but actually you are not….

Does this sound any similar to you? If so then this could be your

communication styles. People with passive-aggressive communication style

work behind the scene this makes them incapable to express their resentment

to others directly.

This kind of communication styles leads to the follower having a feeling of

being stuck, powerless and resentfulness. They do have a lot to stay, objection

over certain things but they do get stuck making a decision for themselves to

raise their voice against right or wrong.

People often with this communication style are observed to having a habit of

muttering to them, cribbing over issues that are unacceptable to them and on

the same hand they have difficulty in acknowledging their anger.

One can spot such a person by their facial expression that is usually

unmatched to their feelings or behaviour for example, you may see them

smiling even when they are angry.

Do you use sarcasm to counter to your feeling or issues that are unacceptable

to you? This could be commonly seen in people with such communication

style of communication.

They may appear extremely cooperative in a team while they purposely do

things to annoy and disrupt the work flow. People may find themselves being

alienated from those who they found uncomfortable and shows resentment

indirectly over issues that are unrelated.

On a maturity scale they may mature as per age but by their nature these

people are difficult to reach maturity.

They are often mis-judged as they seem too polite when they talk with an

irregular eye contact showcasing lower level on confidence.

They are even called as two faced personality creating rumors and negative

feeling among their co-workers and also in their informal set up they are
unable to create long lasting relationships because of their un-clear

intensions.

They may hurt the people they are working with or even friends and family

member by being confused, angry and resentful.

 
Manipulative Communication

Image source: pixabay.com

The task assigned to you seems equally difficult as mine but you have

resources to accomplish it and I don’t have…. Does this occur familiar to what

you may have heard your team member saying in office to you?

Then this is what manipulative communication sounds like; being extremely

calculative and shrewd on the same time. People with this communication
style are cunning and try to control others by showing a sorry figure about

them.

They are very straight forward and do not think twice before keeping their

self-desire at priority, they look for opportunities to get their task done either

through other or asking for help to accomplish it.

They generally believe in making other obliged or create a feeling of sorry for

them by citing a small face or lie sometimes. People which

such communication skills are extremely competent in influencing other for

their self-purpose and take full advantage of others as per required.

Guilt is a strong weapon for people addressing to such manipulative

communication, it is created by putting one’s position down if required to get

work from others.

They use different ways to manipulate others such as shedding artificial tears,

soggy voice and low facial expression to influence others about the sorry

figure.
A person with such communication skill could never make close friends as

they are unsure of where they really stand with a person like him, who may

use their friendship for a selfish purpose; creating distrust and annoying felling

among others.

In personal life this communication style leads to tremendous

misunderstanding among friends and family, if they would feel that their

feelings are being used for a selfish purpose it can even end the relationship

forever.

The spoken words of a manipulative person has hidden meaning that can’t be

judged easily by others, their integrating and patronizing voice attracts people

towards them but are often seen carrying a feeling of resentment and ill-

treatment which is annoying for others.

So what do you think, which communication styles suits you the best? It is

important to understand the different communication styles to analyze one’s

own communication style and the shortcomings associated with it, so that it

can be worked upon.

A positive communication not only leads to positive results but also inspires

others both at professional as well as personal set up. Similarly a poor

communication often results in tension and a feeling of resentment at work

and in personal relationships.

It is difficult to say that which communication style is ideal and which one

should never be adapted because it is very much based on situation as well as

one’s personal choice.

Communication style connects a person a lot with his or her personality: it

eventually becomes a part of his working communication style considering the

ability to command respect, advocate the fulfillment of one’s rights as well as

ability to stand for what is right and wrong.

It is important that a person must know what exactly does his work set up

requires to adapt to a particular communication style.

Also in personal relationships choosing the right communication styles is a

difficult yet important aspect because a positive communication effectively

can help a person build long lasting relationships where as a negative

communication style can ruin it forever.

It is completely dependent on one’s personal choice and behaviour as well as

his goals set for future.

Communicating Ideas – Building stronger teams is every leaders dream,

keeping the same communicating ideas as base most of the organizations

today plan to adopt effective methods for communicating ideas. What matters

down the line is not what you say, but how you say. Thus communication is

the unique feature that helps in separating a bad leader from an effective

leader in the organization. Thus the golden key to be an effective leader is

‘communication’.

Clear and perfect communication is need of the hour; we all remember very well

that ‘Titanic’ sank because of lack of communication. Had there been clearer

communication, the tragedy could have been prevented and many lives would

have been saved. In the same way communication plays very vital role in our
lives and business. In a survey conducted by CIO magazine, to list the topmost

three skills needed in professionals 70 percent readers listed communication

as one of the vital skills.

So why not brainstorm and update our communication skills by following the

below listed top ten highly effective methods of communicating ideas in business

environment. These are highly effective tips that help in communicating not

just with staff at work, but also with customers, superiors, co-workers as well

as subordinates. Some of the effective communication traits are being shared

below that when used in consistent manner will certainly help in getting better

communication outcomes.

Communicating Ideas

1. Be an Active Listener
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Did you get the feeling of talking to walls while interacting with someone at

workplace?  This is really an annoying feeling as you get heard but there are

no signs of being heard from the listener. It’s a personal suggestion avoid

doing the same to your colleagues, subordinates or superiors. The first and

foremost rule of better communication ideas is to be aware that you are being

heard. You can do so by creating an interactive session and keep the listeners

involved in the game. This will certainly help in strengthening your personal

knowledge as well as create a good impression. Showing reactions to

whatever is being said through a nod or by using an “I see” or by simply

paraphrasing sentence gives impact to whatever is being said. Another good

action is encouraging feedbacks from all the workers in the organization.

2. Avoid Disruptions and

Negative Questions
Suppose you ask your subordinate “You don’t have the file or report?” and the

reply you get is “Yes”. This is very confusing because it can mean Yes, you are

right and I have don’t have the file or report. Or it can also mean yes, I have

the desired report or file.

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This clearly indicates that asking negative questions will mostly get vague or

unclear replies that will result in confusions. Thus it is better that you should

always go for positively framed questions (like “Do you have the have or

report I asked for?”). If need be then you should always go for reaffirming

negative questions like “Am I correct, that you do not have the file or report?”

Interruptions result in disruptions, so simply avoid interruptions, mainly while

communicating ideas to your customers. It has been seen that customers

mostly get upset, if you interrupt them frequently. If need be, then just cut the

chase and tell the other person your insight about the communicating ideas

and its importance. This way the other person has the option of either

correcting or confirming your idea and finally this will help in saving lot of

time.
 3.  Avoid Being Casual
Being casual is a strict no- no. By being informal with the colleagues or

subordinates you definitely develop a good rapport and this helps in getting

the job well done. But setting the limit to being casual is also very important

while communicating ideas on the job. If it turns out to be pushy or angry, it

can give rise to an unintended reaction from the recipient side. So, better

make the language clear and in case of situations like anger, take a deep

breath and keep your cool.

In case of written communication it is better to maintain professionalism in

your emails, letters, phone calls or business meetings. By being very casual can

lead to recipients feeling uncomfortable sometimes. There is a major issue

with electronic media like emails and social media, which is very frequently used

for communication these days. It is very difficult to ascertain which tone is

being used while communicating ideas through them. So, it is better to

communicate ideas personally by scheduling a meeting with the recipient or

send message in professional manner.

 4. Never Rush Communication
Never be in rush for anything while communicating; give yourself a pause

before communicating. Giving pauses, though short ones really works

wonders, especially when you are communicating ideas to the staff or at the

workplace. Just a small break is what is required and it gives you short span of

time to ponder. It has been found that rushing while communicating ideas

never ever works rather it makes all the things go wrong. It is usually seen that

when we hasten the things we either forget something or are bound to

misplace the information to be communicated. The same thing happens while

communicating also that we either forget few things important to be

communicated all the whole idea of communication goes haywire. So while

communicating your ideas in effective manner just keeps the pace slow and

always pays attention, because giving extra time will really make huge

difference in the way we communicate.

5. Get Personal
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Corporate communications can be sometimes really boring following the

same standards, so why not start organizational conversations. Think of

dialogues rather than monologues. The mantra is making the conversation

more personal as well as engaging and the more effective it will be. As the

axiom goes “people don’t care how much you know until they know how

much you care.” According to the Classic Business Theory, leaders need to stay

at an arm’s length. To know what’s going on in the mind of people you need

to develop meaningful relationship with them. The best way to be personal

while communicating is to keep aside your ego and replace it with empathy.

Empathetic communicators show higher level of transparency as well as

authenticity and thus help in making them better communicators.

You can also add a personal touch to the conversation by talking about

something that is not connected with work but related to their lives. This will
help in letting their guards down for example you can ask about subordinates

soccer match on weekend. But interacting on personal levels should also be

within certain limits, but it will help in building trust for long term and effective

communication as well.

6. Follow-up after
Communication

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Most of the times after communication conversation you assume that

everything has been communicated as desired. The message has been

received as intended, but most of the times it does not happen the way we

think it has to reach. So to ensure that the message has been communicated

in right way we should get into the habit of taking follow ups, especially if it is

related to something important. This will help in avoiding confusion in

understanding and make the communication better between sender and

receiver. Just assuming that the receiver has heard your message and the

message has been understood the way it was intended to be is a strict no-no.

In the world of effective communication you are supposed to go for follow

ups howsoever obvious the message is. Follow up just helps in making

communication better and effective in two-way manner as desired.

7. Be Determined to Understand

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The concept of aiming to analyze and understand arises from the well known

author Stephen Covey. This communicating ideas suggests that the

communicator needs to be good listener as well. Rather the speaker should try

and understand also what is being conveyed. By comprehending the idea of

communication even the toughest message can be made easy one. Thus it
becomes all the more important to be patient as well as open-minded during

communication interactions with staff or workers. Mostly we do not intend to

identify with what the person is trying to communicate; instead we try to jump

to our point of view. So next time while communicating work on

understanding the communication part in better manner and then start

communicating. Knowing the value and understanding the communication is

really very important before communicating it.

8. Be Sensitive and Acknowledge

Technical Differences

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Sometimes the listeners are not very much aware of the technology upgrades,

so there are many possibilities that the customers lack the desired technical

knowledge. Therefore, it is better to be very careful in this case and explain

them the things in easier and in layman language. Like avoid using acronyms

and make sure that they identify or understand the acronyms in better

manner.  For example in the information technology filed the acronym ‘ASP’

can mean both ‘active server page’ or ‘application service provider’ so it’s

better to clarify which one is you using while communicating. So try avoiding

the common mistakes of either making the entire conversation go over their

head or making them feel demeaned due to lack of technical knowledge.

A better way of explaining the technical concept is to make effective use of

analogies. Although analogies have certain limitations but, they are useful to

describe any unfamiliar or lesser known concept. One example of analogy is

comparing the idea of firewall to a bank teller in a bank. Like when visiting a

bank none of us go directly to the vault. Rather we go to the teller window,

get our details verified and once our identity is established the teller gets the

money from vault and gives it to us on the window.

9. Avoid using Misread Phrases/

words
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Misinterpretations are a common problem while communicating, we say

something without bad intentions but it gets misjudged by the other person.

We want to say something else but the way of pronunciation leads to

conveying something else. Like in case of Chinese language the typical sound

of “ma” with a higher tone indicates “mother in law”, but with a falling and

rising tone means a “horse”. Be cautious while using the word “you” as over

usage of this word creates the feeling of threat or makes the listener feel

defensive. For example instead of saying “you need to speak louder”, it’s

better to say “I am having trouble hearing.” as the word you hold a dual

meaning.

10. Take Feedbacks

Once it’s all complete a finally done, one best method for effective

communication is to ask the receivers to give their feedback. Take extra time

out to speak personally with whom you communicate frequently. This will help

you in finding how you can improve and what aspects you can improve

regarding your style of communication. Feedbacks are simple suggestions  

that help in developing better understanding with co-workers, staff or

subordinates. Feedbacks are very important, though not easy to ask for.

Image source: pixabay.com

Thus basically think before you speak and follow the dos and don’ts of the

communication mantra to be an effective communicator amongst your

colleagues, superiors and subordinates. There is no key to become an effective

communicator but by adopting the above listed tips one can certainly improve

and enhance his/ her style of communication. Just pay attention to the way
others communicate with you and the manner in which you communicate with

others. By observing practically the ways of communication you can learn the

effective communication styles in better manner. So, just go ahead and

communicate with the beautiful world around you and improve everyday your

style of communication by implementing these tips on effective

communication. Most of the organizations also encourage sharing both

dialogues as well as inputs from employees to make the internal

communication within teams better and effective as it finally helps the

organization as well.