Making mistakes with communication can be very embarrassing, and some of them can even have more serious consequences especially if the person who made such mistakes is a manager. These errors can upset clients, tarnish your reputation, and even lead to losses in revenue.
In this post, we’ll look at some of the most common communication mistakes and how you may avoid them.
Mistake #1 – Not Proofreading and Editing Your Work
Making grammar and spelling mistakes can easily make you look very careless. Thus, it’s important that you check all your communications before sending them. It’s not enough that you use spell-checkers because they won’t identify words that aren’t used correctly. What you need to do is proofread your work and even use a dictionary if there are words you are unsure about.
Mistake #2 – Using Email to Deliver Bad News
There’s no way you should announce layoffs to your employees through email. Keep in mind that written communication methods won’t let you soften messages that are tough to handle. You won’t be able to make nonverbal cues or body language, and you won’t be able to deal with intense reactions or emotions immediately.
If there’s bad news that you have to tell an employee or your team, make sure you do it in person. Think carefully about how you are going to say it so that you could minimize the negative effects of the message.
Mistake #3 – Trying to Avoid Difficult Conversations
As a manager, there will be a time when you need to give negative feedback. It would be easy to avoid such conversations, but doing so could lead to bigger problems in the future.
Preparation is very important when it comes to handling difficult conversations. You need to be good at giving clear feedback so that you may encourage your employees to reflect on their behavior instead of negatively reacting to the feedback.
Mistake #4 – Failing to Be Assertive
Being assertive means being able to say what you need to say while also taking into consideration the needs and wants of others. As a manager, you have to learn how to say ‘no’ when you need to. This will establish your reputation as being decisive, and you can also earn the respect of your staff by being assertive.
Mistake #5 – Reacting instead of Responding
Good managers know how to avoid reacting emotionally, and they are good at responding calmly. When you react with your emotions, you are likely to say words you don’t mean, and this can have a negative effect on your reputation. Some people may also get upset with your strong emotions, and they may see you as someone who lacks emotional intelligence and self-control.
Mistake #6 – Not Being Completely Prepared
Giving poorly prepared reports or presentations can be frustrating to your audience, and this can ruin your reputation as well. Before you go to a meeting to give a report or presentation, make sure you have everything you need, and that all data in your materials are correct and accurate.
Mistake #7 – Using a Generic Approach to Communication
Using just one approach to communication could cause you to overlook your team members’ individual personalities, expectations, and needs. When you communicate with your people, you want to address those differences, and this can’t happen if you keep using a generic email, for instance.
Mistake #8 – Not Being Open-Minded
A good manager in today’s complex and diverse workplace has to be open-minded when meeting and dealing with people. By learning hw to manage people’s differences, you will be able to take into consideration each individual’s needs, wants, and expectations.