Making your words work for you

Jane Speechley has spent years teaching people effective communication. She shares her secrets to being ‘heard’.

Why is it so important our words work for us?

Making every word you write or say work for you is perhaps more important now than ever before.

We live in a wonderful age where information is faster-moving and more accessible than at any other time in our history. Written communication particularly has boomed; think about how often you write an email or text message, send an instant message, post a status update or tweet.

We’re all aware of the opportunities that are offered by digital media, but these exciting new channels come with a flipside as well.

Many of us are dealing with information overload; we’re overwhelmed by a constant stream of bite-sized pieces of information. As a result, each of us has learned to actively reach out, select and ‘pull’ the information that interests us. What this means for business is that you have to work much harder to catch and keep your customers attention.

What is the most important part of effective communication?

The critical part of communication is ensuring your listener, or reader, hears (and understands) what you are saying. Don’t assume the intent with which you say something is how the recipient interprets it.

There are some vital keys to ensure you get your message across:

Don’t be tempted to use longer or more complex words when a simple one will do. You might think you sound more impressive, but if your audience doesn’t ‘get’ the message you’re trying to send, your communication hasn’t succeeded.

Focus on providing only a couple of clear messages that you want your audience to remember. Waffle on, or share too much and you risk creating ‘noise’ in which your intended message will get lost.

Effective communication is about more that the content of your message. The style of language, the design of your document, your tone of voice, body language and even the medium you choose to communicate through all send a message about you and what you’re trying to say.

Poor communication often results when these don’t align, for example, being overly formal on social media.

What are the most common mistakes people make?

As a professional communicator and teacher, the most common mistake I see is poor spelling and grammar; just think about the impression you have after reading something that’s poorly written with lots of errors. 

Communication consists of a number of factors that send a message about you, beyond just the content. What do your mistakes say about you? Unless the message you’re trying to send is that you’re careless and lazy with little attention to detail, spelling and grammar mistakes aren’t a good idea.

What role does emotion play in communication?

Emotion is an important factor in communication, both in terms of the actual content of your message and also what you or your audience are feeling at any given time.

Some words send a stronger message than others and seem to positively jump off the page. For example, newspapers use the terms ‘passed away’ or ‘did not survive’, rather than ‘was killed’ or ‘murdered’. You need to think about emotive words, or what I call ‘red flag words’ in your communication and use them or avoid them as the circumstances necessitate.

Even the most innocuous of words has, at some time, been taken the wrong way by a listener who’s tired, angry, defensive or frustrated. Understand that how your audience member is feeling – both before and after your interaction with them – will affect how they remember and reflect upon their experience with you.

What role does Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic tendancies play in communicating?

The theory is that human expression takes place on a number of levels – visual, auditory, kinaesthetic – and that we each have an innate preference for any (combination) of these, which affects the way we learn and communicate.

The problem arises when communicating with people who have a different style to our own. You won’t necessarily know what suits your audience and if you’re communicating with a number of people at once, chances are they have different preferences.

The solution? Present information in a way that touches on all styles. For example, deliver a verbal presentation that includes a visual presentation and practical activities as well. Also, try to stay closely attuned to your audience. Look for signs of interest, energy and comprehension – or lack thereof – and again, be willing to adjust your approach accordingly.

How do you feel about email v phone v face-to-face communication?

Certainly, each communication channel has its strengths and limitations but we should also remember language tends to be dynamic and evolving. So, as we’ve begun to communicate more in writing, we’ve developed ways to express tone and emotion (for example, using emoticons and acronyms like ‘LOL’).

From a business perspective, etiquette usually stipulates that you respond to enquiries in the same format they were received – return a phone call with a phone call, and so on.

The greatest risk technology presents for communication may be the speed in which we can act and react. This level of accessibility and convenience offers extraordinary opportunities for business, but should be considered with some measure of caution. The old rule still applies – act in haste, repent at leisure!

What are your best tips for effective communication?

I think the most important thing is to understand the value and importance of communication. It’s not just something you pay a professional to do; it’s the way you interact everyday with your family and friends, your suppliers, colleagues and employees, current and potential customers.

If you’re aware of this, and you’re actually conscious of the way you come across to people and how they receive you, that’s a great step toward more effective communication.


This article was originally published in emPOWER magazine in July 2013 at http://www.empowermagazine.com.au/make-your-words-work/