Improving Communication Skills as a Business Leader

Communication in business is the sharing of information between management and staff. Effective communication is imperative to running a successful business. Confusing texts, lost emails, and poorly written messages can cause communication breakdown which can be costly for any business. At worst, poor communication leads to confusion, low morale, and loss of productivity in employees.

On the other hand, effective communication – both internal and external – enables smooth operations, increases productivity and helps to avoid catastrophes.

Communication is what happens between the inventor thinking up the product/service, then getting it to a developer, then a marketer, then a salesperson and finally the customer. It is the channel which directs the flow of a message from inventing a product to selling it to a customer.

Business runs on the premise that nothing happens without a sale and communication helps to achieve those sales by effectively managing people, facilitating the sharing of information, and creating and sustaining project coordination.

As a business owner, while communicating with your employees, you need to ask yourself a few questions:

• Do I have trouble maintaining eye contact with others?
• Do I smile too much because of nervousness? Too little?
• Do I cross my arms and legs?
• Do I stand too close or too far from others?

Focusing on these things while communicating, not only with your employees but also with stakeholders and investors, can increase their confidence and trust in your capabilities. It will allow you to lead your company with more freedom and support.

Internal communication

Internal communication is how you convey the message to your employees and staff within your organization.

Effective internal communication is critical to ensuring project deadlines are met, and targets are achieved without any errors. Internal communication is not only about how you as a business owner communicate with your employees, it is a two-way process. Keeping an open channel allows employees to feel that they can communicate easily with their team and upper management.

Important issues related to product development, strategies, marketing, pricing, budgeting, and sales need to be shared internally with employees. Giving them a sense of direction and providing them support so they can voice any confusion and clear misconceptions about the project is important to achieve great results the first time. Unclear communication can lead to setbacks and possibly heavy losses.

As a business leader, it is your role to ensure all internal communication channels whether they be emails, memos, presentations or meetings, are conveying the message clearly and precisely. This plan should be understood by employees at all levels of the company, with no ambiguity. Employees can be given training and invited to workshops to understand the company’s protocols and processes at induction. Regular weekly or monthly meetings on the progress of projects can clear any misconceptions they may have.

How you communicate with your employees plays a pivotal role in their performance, morale, and productivity levels. A good business leader always believes in himself, in his team, and the product or service his business is providing.

External communication

Communications as a business leader are not limited to those within your organization. External communication refers to how you communicate with those who operate outside the business, such as stakeholders, investors, and community. External communication can take the form of newsletters, press releases, product launches, special events, or seasonal sales. All of these are mediums through which you can promote your organization and share new information about your company with your clients, customers, or the general public.

External communication forms the basis for all your marketing campaigns. A well executed external message lets your customer know about your products or services and calls them to action. On the other hand, a poorly advertised product or a failed marketing campaign can affect sales negatively.

Content marketing is an emerging tactic as businesses invest more into communicating value to current and prospective customers. It adds value to the marketing campaign and gives long lasting results.

Here at Marcus Coaching, we work with Palm Beach Content Co. who offer our clients a special content marketing package to increase the visibility of their business online. If you are interested in executing a content strategy for your business, you can contact them here.

Improving communication

As a business owner, you need to be persuasive in your communications. The message has to be clear, concise, and engaging. Inviting your employees and customers to give suggestions and feedback will establish which areas of communication need improvement.

With that, what can you do to improve communication?

Verbal and written communication should be treated separately from each other, as things said verbally can give a different message in writing. Written messages from your company should always be kept formal and polite. Long written messages should be avoided as they may cause confusion.

Be conscious of what it is you want to say, and what it is that may be perceived. Keep the message as short as possible to allow room for questions or discussion at the end. Avoid jargon and keep your vocabulary simple so even a lower level employee who has just started working in the organization can understand your message as well.

Communication is not merely about conveying your message. It is equally important to listen too. Listening is vital because it gives you an idea how your message was perceived, and if anything was misunderstood.

How are you communicating in your business?

Communication is the lifeblood of any business. Working with a coach is the best way to improve not only your communication, but that of your staff as well. According to a recent International Coach Federation Global Client Study, 72% of people being coached noticed an improvement in communication skills.

Are you confident in your communication skills as a leader? You can contact Peter Marcus today to talk about strengthening your communications skills as a business executive.