Good communication is a great accelerator. But it’s also very easy to derail your career by making tiny communication mistakes. The sad truth is that so many people aren’t communicating effectively not because they don’t know something, but the way they communicate it.
Here are the top 7 business communication mistakes, and how to avoid each of them.
- Being Too Vague
When we try to be too vague we end up confusing people and creating delays and mistakes. Because they don’t understand you, they’re not able to do what they need to do.
How to avoid it: Be specific. Tell them what you mean. What you expect. When you need it to be done by.
- Too Much Information
It’s easy to try to say everything all at once. The problem is it can confuse and overwhelm your audience and it can distract from your core message.
How to avoid it: Talk about one thing. Keep it structured and easy to navigate.
- Not Tailoring It To Your Audience
If you communicate the same way to everyone it can seem unprofessional and out of touch with the people you’re talking to.
How to avoid it: Adjust your language and approach based on who you’re talking to. A client, a colleague, or a boss should be addressed differently.
- Bad Listening
If you don’t take time to really listen to other people in conversation then you can alienate them, interrupt them, and miss out on important details and information.
How to avoid it: Listen actively. Allow people to finish and ask questions to clarify.
- Bad Email Communication
Bad email communication can also cause a ton of confusion and create delays.
How to avoid it: Make it clear and easy to understand. Use a clear subject, keep it short, and add a clear call-to-action. Proofread before you send.
- Not Being Confident
We tend to downplay our messages and avoid them because we think they’re not important. But our voice, our body language, and our messages are more important than most of us think.
How to avoid it: Practice. Prepare. Be confident.
- Not Being Attentive of How You Communicate
Sometimes, we can send a very different message via our body language and tone of voice.
How to avoid it: Pay attention to your eye contact, body language, and tone of voice.
In Closing
By paying attention to these top 7 business communication mistakes, you’ll be able to instantly improve the way that you’re perceived at work.
Start with one or two of these and work your way through them. The results will shock you.
