Listen And Think Before You Speak
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: communication is key! Today we’re focusing on ways to improve your communication skills at work, making your conversations more effective and better avoiding conflict. Being mindful is also a necessary component in achieving these goals; make sure you’re present in the moment so that you are truly listening and comprehending your bosses and colleagues. Give what you’re saying some thought before saying it, too. To use another old saying, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Aim to be precise and clear in your language, and you’ll be able to complete any task more quickly, with fewer mistakes. The tips we’re highlighting below will help you to do all of the above.
We love this suggestion from the pros at Fremont College “Don’t just hear – listen. Listening is an important communication skill that many people do not possess. Most conflict is a result of poor listening. In order to share information with another person, you have to hear what is being communicated. If you’re thinking about your next meeting or planning tonight’s dinner during the conversation, you’re not paying attention. To learn how to listen well, paraphrase what was said to show that you are listening and to verify accuracy. This will reduce the likelihood of conflict and will help you become a more effective communicator. Another way to learn how to listen better is to pretend there is going to be a quiz at the end of the discussion. Try to keep a mental checklist of all of the important points the person makes.” Conversations are a two way street. To engage in effective communication with your employers and co-workers, make sure you’re listening–and actively listening. This will require you to be a participant in exchanges in a way that doesn’t center your own thoughts. Instead, by actively listening, you’ll be able to achieve true collaboration, which will demonstrate your value as a team member to anyone you talk to. Keep an open mind to the opportunities each conversation offers up, and make sure to stay in the present.
Alison Doyle at Balance Careers also offers up a stellar method for ensuring that you’re fully understood in any workplace interaction: “Clarity and Concision. Good verbal communication means saying just enough—don’t talk too much or too little. Try to convey your message in as few words as possible. Say what you want clearly and directly, whether you’re speaking to someone in person, on the phone, or via email. If you ramble on, your listener will either tune you out or will be unsure of exactly what you want. Tip: Think about what you want to say before you say it. This will help you to avoid talking excessively or confusing your audience.” While it may initially seem counterintuitive to show off how much you know by NOT talking a lot, being able to sum up your stance both clearly and concisely will actually best demonstrate your mastery of a skillset, relaying to your listener that not only do you know what you’re talking about but you understand it well enough to succinctly sum it up. Thinking about what you say before you say it will also help minimize workplace conflicts that could arise due to simple misunderstandings. Planning out what to say ahead of time will also allow you to get your ideas across more quickly, a crucial skill during any workplace emergencies or time-sensitive matters that may arise.
Be an active participant in all your workplace exchanges by actively listening, making sure that you truly understand what it is that is being asked of you before attempting to do it. This will help you get all of your work tasks completed correctly on the first try! Listening actively also demonstrates respect for your colleagues and bosses, allowing them to see that you truly value their input and contributions to your organization. Apply this same thoughtfulness and consideration to your own utterances as well, making sure to be mindful of the context in which you’re speaking so that you can express yourself as clearly and concisely as possible. Doing so will help convey your sense of urgency to everyone around you in your workplace. Join us again tomorrow as we close out the week with even more inspiration for communicating clearly with both co-workers and employers.
This posting is brought to you by Contemporaries Inc., one of the best temp agencies in Boston MA. Also available for payrolling employees in Boston and Greater Boston
Recent Posts
The Best Benefits of Working
Author: Alyssa Rebolledo Nowadays, pursuing a career can be tiresome, anxiety-inducing, and stressful. You may lose focus of the brighter side which comes from all the benefits of landing a job. They include financial freedom, a new purpose in your life, and...
Business Manners in the Workplace
Author: Alyssa Rebolledo Business Etiquette is a practical and fundamental skill everyone should use while working on a job. Exercising this practice will help advance your career and boost your likability amongst colleagues and employers alike. The best path to...
Using a College Graduate’s Habits Key to Virtual Work Success
Author: Alyssa Rebolledo Imagine, you have just been hired for your first remote job and your team leader has given you a mountain of work which you’re not sure you will ever be able to complete. The tasks seem daunting and although you feel you’ve been at it all day,...
Flexibility is the Key to Workplace Greatness
Author: Alyssa Rebolledo If you are trying to advance your career, being flexible is the key to success. This concept certainly applies when you are working in a new contract position. During this time, you’ll wear many hats and juggle ever-changing conditions that...
Tips to Use Your Time Wisely to Successfully Land a Job
Author: Alyssa Rebolledo Job hunting has become so much easier since the days when you had to look at a newspaper daily to see who was hiring. Now, there are staffing firms like Contemporaries, Inc., and websites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and GlassDoor to help you...
Gen Z’s Top Five Job Hunting Essentials
Author: Alyssa Rebolledo Gen Z is the newest and largest group of job hunters that are currently in the market. They are recent graduates, hungry for new opportunities, and want to change the typical nine to five job blueprint. Here are the Top Five Requirements of...
The Power of Positivity in the Workplace
Whether you are a recent college graduate or a seasoned pro who has been in the workforce for years, why not try incorporating the power of positivity into your daily routine? It won’t take much effort on your part, but will set a better tone for the day. While you...
Giving Back is Key to a Better Perspective and Feeling Good
Working hard may be a great way to get ahead, but giving back and helping others can also be very rewarding and a means to feeling good. Most times, being nice and thinking of others costs very little or nothing at all. However, the gift of giving back may make an...
Rethinking Motivators May be the Key to Hiring Top Notch Job Seekers
Motivation for job seekers today is very different from the incentives that drove them in the past. Or, at least the order of what seems to be most important to them now compared to years ago. Renowned American psychologist Abraham Maslow, back in 1943, put to paper...
Contemporaries Inclusive and Diverse Workforce is the Secret to Our Success
The Greater Boston area and beyond is filled with many talented individuals who sometimes just need a foot through the door to launch their career and be given a chance to prove themselves. Since opening in 1998, Contemporaries, Inc. has provided that opportunity to...
Thank You Boston Candidates and Clients for 25 Great Years!
Many new exciting and interesting happenings occurred in 1998. Bill Clinton was President, while Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the House. It was a time when the blockbuster hit, Titanic, dominated the Oscars as well as movie theaters and became the first picture to...
Contemporaries Named One of Best Staffing Agencies in Boston for 2023
Boston_ Ringing in the New Year is not just a one-day celebration. It also is a time to think about making future changes for the better, personally and professionally. If you are a business owner or decision maker in search of top talent, or a job seeker looking for...
All Staffing Firms Are Not the Same When it Comes to Placements
The standards for staffing agencies, when selecting a candidate for a specific position, may differ slightly, to drastically, depending on the types of job, the client, the length of assignment, as well as how the Recruiter is compensated. Traditionally, a firm may...
What Staffing Agencies Look for in Candidates
Do you want to know the secrets to making a great impression on a staffing agency Recruiter? Here are a couple of tips as well as insight on what Recruiters are looking for. First, they want the type of candidate who will take their job search activities seriously and...