I love the phrase “soft skills are hard skills”. Many of us acquire specialized skills through academic and on-the-job training that are valued by modern organizations. And if you've also developed the communication practices necessary to effectively influence others, the knowledge and training you've worked hard for can propel you to even greater success.
I have been teaching communication for nearly 20 years old and have worn many other work hats during and before my teaching career. Through these experiences, I have observed and found (sometimes through hard knocks) what effective communicators and leaders practice. In summary, the little things matter:
1. Change is difficult. Listening too.
A lot of current research talks about how best to lead and manage change in people and organizations. We naturally root ourselves in habits, especially if they have been successful or rewarded in the past (which is one reason habits are so hard to change). Through a “listen first” approach, taking the time to learn about the story of a changing department/team/company is a big step in establishing the trust. Understanding how difficult change can be for people and navigating those conversations with empathy can be even more powerful in leading constructive and effective change.
2. Know your audience.
Take the time to learn who you are talking to. What are their needs and motivations? Worries, stress and goals? Talking to IT people often requires a different approach than marketing people. And the needs of your support staff will certainly be different from those of your boss. Louis Pasteur, the famous inventor and scientist said, “Luck favors the prepared mind. » Taking the time to study and understand your audience is well worth the investment, serves to build trust and often creates future leadership opportunities.
3. Cultivate cultural awareness.
We often think of cultures as groups of people from different countries with different languages, religions and customs. This is of course true, but if you consider each dating as cross-cultural communication, you become much more attuned to the subtle ways in which cultures work and influence the way we think, show our emotions, react and relate. In the United States, even geography plays a big role in shaping cultural practices in an unconscious way. People talk faster on the East Coast than on the West Coast, and tend to "interrupt" more (at least from a West Coast perspective). Depending on your ethnicity, it may be completely okay to raise your voice and show emotion and passion when discussing a proposal or idea. For others, it doesn't work as well as a speaker or listener. Creating awareness of how cultures work and influence you and others is a soft skill and another way to stand out in your organization.
4. Hone your “presentation skills.”
We often think of these skills as something you learned in a public speaking course and use in a formal presentation or speech. But no. A number of respected communication researchers claim that over 60% of communication in face-to-face interactions is non-verbal, so refine your body language, eye contact, facial expressions, vocal qualities and the way you organize. and express your thoughts are relevant and sometimes even critical during face-to-face meetings. Whether you're talking to one other person or 500 people, focusing on the micro-skills of effective delivery and organization can make the difference in your success and influence. I've seen good public speakers ignore best practices in small groups (like a job interview) at significant cost. Learning and practicing these seemingly few basic things and seeking feedback from trusted friends and colleagues on what to work on puts you in a growth mindset and will certainly propel you to become a better communicator.
— Michael Hazel
