Communicating well with employees is something all leaders should be able to do. No matter what you’re saying, it’s important to consider how you’re saying it. Be aware of how you talk to your employees and make sure you’re being clear, inclusive, and respectful. The Forbes Coach Council offers advice in “14 Ways To Be More Mindful Of How You Speak To Employees.” Here are five of their best suggestions.
- Be clear and concise, and make sure to verify. Speaking concisely helps you to be clear, which means your team will better understand what you need them to do. Take it a step further and verify that your employees got the message. If they know what they need to do, they’ll do their jobs confidently.
- Ask questions instead of providing solutions. Instead of just talking about desired outcomes, ask questions so that your team will think strategically. You can create a conversation with questions like “What thoughts do you have about how to proceed?”
- Swap “Yes, but” for “Yes, and.” The word “but” can shut down conversations quickly and make rank more obvious. If you say “and” instead, you can open up the conversation and pave the way for more solutions.
- Learn the culture. Organizations have communication norms that can include word choice, tone, and acronyms. Learn what they are and work within them to make your employees feel more comfortable.
- W.A.I.T. The acronym W.A.I.T. stands for Why Am I Talking? Ask yourself if you should be talking at all – leaders should do more listening than talking.
For more tips, read the full article.
