Communicating, whether verbally, via email, or text, is hard. You can look
unprofessional or feel embarrassed if your message does not come across the way it was intended, and there may be unintended consequences. Below are 8 communication tips:
1 Edit your texts and emails. If there are spelling or grammatical mistakes, it may make you seem like a careless person. Spell checkers aren’t enough, since they do not catch certain words or phrases that could be spelled correctly but are used in the wrong context. This includes words such as affect and effect.
2 Don’t deliver bad news in writing. Because written communication does not
allow you to express tone, you can’t provide the same nonverbal cues in writing as you would in person or even over the phone. Tune into the other person’s feelings as you speak.
3 Don’t avoid difficult conversations. It is hard to provide someone with negative feedback. However, putting off these conversations can cause the problems to fester and become even harder to address.
4 Be assertive. Do what needs to be done while also considering the needs of
others. Being assertive also means saying “no” when necessary and doing so in a
polite but definite manner so as to maintain positive relationships.
5 Don’t overreact. Take time to think about what you want to say before
saying or writing it. This will allow you to respond calmly and appropriately.
6 Do not use a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Not everyone perceives communication in the same way, so consider people’s different personalities. Work to communicate in a way that they will understand and appreciate, which may be different from your approach.
7 Keep an open mind when meeting new people. There are so many different people one can come across in terms of religion, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation,
etc. Avoid stereotyping!
8 Don’t assume that your message was understood. Ask them what they thought
you meant. Encourage questions.