{"id":6225,"date":"2020-01-06T14:55:33","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T20:55:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/5bd4f92546.nxcli.net\/?p=6225"},"modified":"2025-04-18T10:18:35","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T15:18:35","slug":"3-critical-communication-skills-you-should-master-for-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluecotton.com\/blog\/business\/3-critical-communication-skills-you-should-master-for-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Critical Communication Skills You Should Master For The Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Effective communication is the foundation of an effective business. No matter your department or job description, you need <\/em>to know how to talk to people. Perhaps there was <\/em>a time in the past when one could skirt by without learning how to communicate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

But that time is far behind us.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cWhether you\u2019re sitting in a meeting, attending a job interview, or emailing a client, having good communication skills is essential,\u201d reads a piece published by Elizabeth Harmon of leading online education specialist Open Colleges<\/a>. \u201cIt can mean the difference between getting your view across and being misunderstood, getting the dream job or missing out and building strong and positive working relationships rather than facing conflict and barriers.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The good news is that cultivating your own communication skills isn\u2019t actually as difficult as you might think. It starts with mastering the fundamentals. That\u2019s what we\u2019re going to discuss today.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Active Listening and Empathy<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

When you\u2019re talking to someone, don\u2019t focus on your own thoughts and feelings. Look at them. <\/em>Think about each word they speak or type.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Don\u2019t just think about what <\/em>they\u2019re saying, ask yourself why <\/em>they\u2019re saying it. Try putting yourself in their shoes, and looking at things from their perspective. Learn to read between the lines and tailor your responses to make it clear that you\u2019re actually paying attention.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

And if you aren\u2019t sure about what someone means, ask them. Show them that you\u2019re genuinely interested in understanding their point of view and engaging with how they feel. You might be surprised at how well people respond to that, even if they initially start out as hostile.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Positive Feedback<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

While it\u2019s true that some people cannot take criticism, most people don\u2019t know how to offer it constructively. They put the person they\u2019re talking to on the defensive by focusing exclusively on negative things, battering them with their mistakes until they completely disengage from the conversation. Instead, we\u2019d advise trying to inject positivity into everything you say and do.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

When criticizing someone for a mistake, start by focusing on what they did right. <\/em>Frame your criticism as a genuine attempt to help them be better next time rather than as beratement for not being good enough. And always be willing to accept feedback on your own performance, as well.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For example, let\u2019s say one of your writers composes a piece that\u2019s well-written, but completely off-brand for your organization. Instead of immediately launching into an explanation of your branding guidelines, consider first praising them for their strong writing skills. Show them you appreciate their work, then gently remind them of your business\u2019s branding guidelines.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Understanding Body Language<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

According to Dr. Albert Mehrabian<\/a>, a psychologist responsible for multiple studies on nonverbal communication, approximately 55 percent of communication is conveyed through nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, posture, and gestures. An additional 38 percent is conveyed through vocal elements such as tone and volume. That leaves a paltry seven percent <\/em>for words alone.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

With that in mind, it should be clear that fostering awareness and understanding of body language is critical not just for active listening, but for communication in general. Pay attention not just to what someone says but how they orient themselves when they say it. Arguably, this is the most difficult of our three foundational skills to develop.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The good news is that most people have at least some subconscious awareness of body language. Of personal space, touch, eye contact, posture, and gestures. The trick is translating that subconscious cognizance into an active, conscious aspect of communication.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mental health community HelpGuide<\/a> has an excellent write-up on how you can get started in that regard.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Finding Your Voice<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Especially as we continue to shift towards more open, collaborative workplaces, knowing how to connect and cooperate with your colleagues will only grow more important.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter what industry you work in. It doesn\u2019t matter what your title or role is.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Communication skills will always be beneficial. <\/em><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Effective communication is the foundation of an effective business. No matter your department or job description, you need to know how to talk to people. Perhaps there was a time in the past when one could skirt by without learning how to communicate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":6226,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[870],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"yoast_head":"\n3 Critical Communication Skills You Should Master For The Workplace<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Master these communication skills in the workplace to set yourself up for success.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bluecotton.com\/blog\/business\/3-critical-communication-skills-you-should-master-for-the-workplace\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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