What are Good Communications Skills?

Good communication skills are absolutely vital in the workplace and for gaining respect from your co-workers.

Communication Skills Test

Do you:

1. Look at people when they talk to you? Have you ever been asked to come to someone’s big office for a meeting only to find them checking their mobile phone or email more than actually listening to you? This is NOT respecting people. So, the next time you engage in a conversation – even a short one at the coffee machine – look the person in the eyes when they’re speaking to you. If this means closing the lid of your laptop or putting your phone in your desk drawer with the ringer and vibrate function turned off… do it.
2. Listen. Really Listen. As you’re looking the person in the eyes listen to them. Really listen. Often, at times this requires you to say a few things back that actually contain some substance.
3. Don’t always agree Some think that, to be respectful you can never disagree. This is ridiculous. An old boss of mine used to tell his management team that if all 8 of us agreed he had 7 too many people in the room. Nice.
4. Don’t simply disagree to justify your existence With this said, do not attempt to always find at least one thing to disagree on in attempts to somehow feel like you’re justifying your existence. If you agree with a point and can’t add anything to it… just say something like, “Sounds good. You’ve obviously done your homework. Let me know if I can help.”
5. Engage at the Workplace (Gemba) Another favourite lean practitioners like to talk about is the Gemba, which literally means to go to the place the work is done to see with your own eyes. There are many benefits to this, but in my opinion, the main one is that by going to the gemba you’re able to actually engage in the situation, listen to the staff member who does the job day in day out. Remember, they know the job best. Also consider, you may be able to actually get your hands dirty while helping to solve the problem.

Now its time for you to put it in to practice.