Why is Professional Communication Critical for Any Business?
Effective professional communication is critical nowadays. Most problems and incisive situations in companies arise because of poor communication. Successful communication is an art that ensures a smooth flow of ideas, facts, and right decisions.
This way, team members eliminate hindrances in achieving the company’s target.
Today all we need communication skills not only in daily personal life but also in the profession, workplace and business.
The meaning of professional communication refers to the different forms of speaking, listening, writing, and responding. The level of communication skill required obviously depends on the nature of your profession.
If you work in a big team or interact with partners and clients, you often find certain situations that are challenging to handling. This is where having an appropriate communication style becomes handy.
In startups and small companies, this issue is particularly relevant, especially for product managers and project managers, as they permanently collaborate with different roles: top managers, business owners, stakeholders, developers, marketers, sales, support guys and so on and so forth.
“The art of communication is the language of leadership”
James Humes
It is a kind of skill some are just born with it. Here we can recollect Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs or any other successful public leader with the great communication and negotiation style.
Their role models demonstrate that we can’t be successful without great communication skills and powerful cross-functional collaboration in professional life. And the important adding here is that it is important for a good communicator to be a good listener.
The most critical features of professional communication
1. Accuracy
If saying about professional communication, accuracy is one of the most vital features. All relayed information should be correct and checked. Inaccurate data cannot be viewed as credible. Anyone who relays incorrect information risks losing own credibility.
Successful professional communication also should be accurate even in simple things – spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Even a small mistake has the potential to lead to miscommunication between sides.
2. Clarity, brevity, distinctness
Professional communication needs to be brief, distinctive and to the point. Product managers, project managers, business owners or team leads don’t have time to read long circulars and letters littered with superfluous information. It’s much more comfortable to work with short letters designed to convey the message quickly.
The information needs to be clear and free from any ambiguity that can breed miscommunication.
3. Particular goals
Any communication should have a particular goal in mind. Generic communication will not achieve the intended objective; you need to be specific to communicate effectively. The more specific your messages are, the more your audience is likely to understand it. The more it meets the desired goals.
4. Internal/external parts
Companies primarily include internal communication as an essential component in an administrative function. It is targeted to employees and other members belonging to the company. One of the examples of internal communication is a public notice informing team members about a daily stand up meeting in a company. This kind of communication may be vertical or horizontal.
Professional communication also goes beyond the borders of a company. When it extends to external parties that aren’t necessarily members of this company, it is referred to as external communication. It is usually intended to maintain relationships between external parties and the company.
5. Segmentation
Depending on a company, different employees have different needs, interests, and requirements. That’s why to have the desired effect or impact, communication needs to be tailored to meet the specific needs of the target audience for it.
Communication needs to be segmented for specific teams and departments and should be handled by a person specialized in the workings of specific departments.
6. Continuity
Continuity is also important if we say about the high level of professional communication. Without continuity, companies and teams cannot claim to exist. Managers should always care and ensure that communication is adequate and flowing smoothly in all directions.
Misunderstanding will always arise if there is a breakdown in communication. It will lead to unfavorable hostility, conflict, and attitudes. That’s why communication needs to be continuous.
7. Two-way contact
Any communication should be a two-way traffic. When a manager conveys information to the employees, they should be ready to receive reactions and responses. Otherwise, they may not meet objectives efficiently.
In fact, this chain of communication is not complete until the receiver gets the message and the sender receives the response.
8. Multi-channel communication
Professional communication may be achieved through the different channels to ensure that it reaches audiences in different forms of settings.
You may choose various channels including traditional meetings, prints, and boards, try electronic means of communication such as emails, social networks, messengers, chat apps or use professional tools and features that modern product management platforms offer.
How to develop best communication skills?
“Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.”
Brian Tracy
There is nothing fearful here. You can dive into the basics that provide skills for having your best in communication. It’s not difficult to apply and use these skills when interactive in personal life, in any profession and dealing with customers in business.
Start with scratch because nobody is born great. It is best to start with the basics. Try to realize how you can effectively say what you intend to.
- Do not be lazy to practice. Whatever you intend to do, rehearse it. Arrange rehearsals and you’ll be able to analyze your pros and cons and fill in the gaps.
- Pay attention to the body and words coordination. This is really imperative when your body says whatever you are saying. Body language with all gestures and overall posture must reflect what you are trying to communicate.
- Maintain eye contact as it also has an essential value. It always reassures that you are honest and sincere with your audience. People tend to believe you more when you maintain eye contact with them.
- Ensure that the speed of your speech is balanced and people can clearly listen to each word you are saying.
- Engage your listeners. It means communicating in such a way that people are interested in talking to you.
- Tell real stories. Meaningful examples and real-life cases will get the audience better. People will listen to you more carefully and will become more interested. If you tell real-life stories and examples your audience will understand that you are experienced and know what you are saying.
- Be friendly and never get offended when people ask questions, Let them participate. It will make them interested, you will get to learn and people will value you more. The open question-answer session is a good idea here.
- Be positive. It’s about your smile and exceptional attitude. People should feel comfortable and motivated when talking to you.
- Do not hesitate to add some humor. It can be important if you want to sell your stories. Often humor helps to impress and involve listeners. It validates your stories and polishes your existing skill.
Takeaways
Professional communication should be accurate, to the point, brief, continuous, specific, and segmented. It may be internal and external. Managers and team members can channel it through a wide variety of mediums including print, oral, and electronic.
There is no ideal level of communication and you’ll always find room for improvement in such skills. Just make sure that you never stop taking these skills to the next level of improvement.
