Common Communication Mistakes And How To Fix Them

There’s a reason why communication is a college major. It’s not easy and also the world needs baristas. Just kidding comm majors. It may not make you a master orator, but if you clean up a few common communication mistakes you might be well on your way to getting ahead both personally and professionally. Here are a few issues we’ve all fallen victim to and how to change them.

  • You’re Not Really Prepared. The founder ofOn Point SpeakingVanessa Wasche says the most important question you should ask yourself before any meeting or presentation is “why is your audience there and what do they want to hear?” You need to shift your focus away from thinking ‘what do I want to say’ and instead focus on what points your audience wants you to address. The more you can match those points the more effective your communication will become.
  • You Aren’t Providing The Right Amount Of Detail. Different audiences require different amounts of detail. For example, Wasche says if you’re speaking to coworkers, you want to provide as much info as you can about how you solved a problem at work because they’ll want to be able to mimic your results. On the other hand, if you’re speaking to upper management, they only really care about results and solutions. To them, it’s all about the destination and you can keep the journey to yourself.
  • You Don’t Have An Agenda. According to Wasche, if you go into a meeting totally scripted you’re just going to end up losing your place as soon as someone interrupts you. Instead of concentrating on how to say something, focus on why you want to say it in the first place. This means knowing the main points you need to address and being ready to find openings in conversations to fit them in. All great communicators are flexible and can adapt their message on the fly. If you want to be one of them, go off script but stick to your agenda.

Source:Fast Company


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