Written by Andrew Louder
When businesses are struggling, there always seems to be one common denominator. It’s not just poor strategy, poor processes or poor technology. Those certainly may be problematic, but the root cause of it often comes down to one factor: poor communication.
It seems simple enough. Communicate more clearly or just speak more, right? I’ve been in so many meetings with business leaders and employees at companies, where they just wish they could communicate better. Unfortunately, it’s so much easier said than done. But, what if I told you there’s an actual solution out there?
Safe Conversations is a game changing process designed to help couples improve how they dialogue with each other. The thought was if couples communicate better, their families will strengthen. If their families strengthen, communities will follow. We’ve found while that’s certainly been the case, those very same processes and tools used to improve communication in couples, can easily be applied in the business setting.
It works because it makes us better listeners, and active participants in a dialogue. Next time you’re in a meeting, truly listen. Then before moving on to the next topic, tell your colleague “hold on, let me make sure I got that,” and start mirroring back what you heard. You can’t move on until you’ve reached agreement that you have completely heard and understood what they’re saying. Listening is the most overlooked component of communicating.It’s not about being a better sender of the message, it’s about being a better receiver of the message.
Email or text messages can be incredibly difficult to decipher because we can’t see body language and hear tone. If you receive a message and are confused by it, reply back saying “let me see if I got that” and continue with your message before hitting the send button. Better yet, pick up the phone and go through the same exercise. The big takeaway here is to always seek clarity and understanding before moving forward in confusion.
Go ahead, try these techniques in your next status meetings, performance reviews, networking events, phone calls and just about everywhere. You’ll be surprised what you’ll discover. I bet you’ll communicate better, have more effective meetings, close more sales, and most importantly, grow your relationships. It starts with one.
Be the change you want your company to be. As others pick it up, you’ll see the company take on a whole new mode of operations. Trust goes up. Changes get more successfully implemented. The company’s bottom line improves. You’re a happier person. Everyone wins.