It's common for people to use the words "communicate" and "inform" interchangeably, but when put into action, these words have vastly different outcomes, especially in the business world. Effective communication is essential when it comes to building relationships with potential clients, managers, business partners and employees. If you want to take your business relationships to the next level and bring about positive change in your organization, providing information is simply not enough.
According to journalist Sydney J. Harris, "Information is giving out, and communication is getting through." In business settings, leaders often provide information in the form of memos, newsletters, emails or verbal presentations. Information presented in these fashions can be useful, but it's not uncommon for it to end up lost or forgotten. In modern times, printed information doesn't have the same impact it once did, and electronic information is easy to overlook or forget because the average person is bombarded with electronic information daily. In order to draw in new clients, build productive teams, manage employees and develop successful work relationships, there must be a dialog and mutual understanding. This requires effective communication.
Modern businesses use social media to connect with potential clients, industry leaders and even customers. In fact, it's become a common practice for organizations to hire social media managers who regularly post company information on websites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This might be a great strategy for keeping the public informed, but these interactions are not the best methods for effective communication, as they rarely forge the type of connections necessary to establish valuable and lasting business relationships. Sure, it's possible to have a dialog on social media websites, but responses are usually not instant, which makes it impossible for conversations to flow. Effective communication also requires positive nonverbal language such as eye contact and good posture.
Other key factors of effective communication include energy levels, tone of voice and how often each communicator speaks. An individual who communicates in person and maintains a high level of energy during the dialog generally reaps a more positive outcome, according to an MIT Human Dynamics study. Leaders who present valuable information directly to team members and genuinely communicate with them afterward have much greater outcomes than those who simply present information, particularly when it comes to innovation and overall team productivity. The study also revealed that a short and simple conversation makes a greater impact than a long, drawn-out one, and phone dialogs also produce positive outcomes, as long as engagement between both parties remains high.
Effective communication is essential in all facets of the business world, especially in this era of information overload. Establishing lasting partnerships, keeping workers happy, building relationships with colleagues and networking effectively all require clearly articulated and fully understood two-way dialogue.
Photo courtesy of khunaspix at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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