Remember that your attitude and tone can communicate quite a lot. Keep your focus narrow and try not to get off topic. If you have trouble saying what you want to say, write down some bullet points to make sure you cover all you want to say. Take an intentional pause before speaking. Very often the instinct is to hurl headlong into a discussion. But purposefully putting in pauses and taking a moment to compose your thoughts before speaking will make it more likely your communication is clear, and your audience ready to listen.
If the person seems distracted, say that you’ll talk later when they are more available. For example, if you need to talk to someone yet they’re in the middle of something, let them know that you need to talk and want their attention. Avoid calling out or yelling at people to get attention–go up to them and speak face to face whenever possible.
This is especially true if you’re talking to someone from a different culture than yourself. You might assume they understand slang or other speech, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. If someone looks confused, try explaining it better.
Sarcasm can be easily misunderstood. While it may be meant to be humorous, saying the opposite of what you really mean can lead to misunderstandings. People may be confused to what you actually mean. Sarcasm can also inadvertently become mean.
This can help people feel comfortable to ask questions or seek clarification. If you’re giving directions, ask them to be repeated back to you to ensure understanding. In some circumstances, it is appropriate to give a quick summary. For example: “So I just want to be clear: We’re going to address the Garcia account first, then we will do a quick meeting on how to problem solve the communication issues. Got it?”
If you think you may have miscommunicated, use this time to communicate clearly and clear anything that may be confusing.
Don’t just hear the words the person is saying, listen for information and how they are communicating. For example, the person’s voice might change when talking about something emotional or when they feel uncomfortable.
Letting someone complete their thoughts means that you’re fully listening and are not preoccupied with your own words. This way, they will feel more comfortable in sharing everything and won’t miss something they meant to say because the conversation got sidetracked.
If the person is still talking and you don’t want to interrupt them, jot the question down so that you do not forget to ask them about it.
Before you send the information or invitation, check to make sure it has all the information necessary.
If you tend to write lengthy emails or texts, people will likely skim them instead of reading them thoroughly. If you can’t get away from your long letters, consider putting the most important things at the top. Keep in mind that emails do not give such social cues as facial expressions and tone of voice. Therefore, use clear language and avoid sarcasm. Emojis are useful in social emails, but in most businesses emails are not appropriate.
If you insist on addressing several topics at once, delineate them clearly. Use bullet-points or other organization to help clarify the content.
