Effective communication skills have always been valued by employers. The ability to appropriately express ideas both verbally and in writing can mean the difference between career success and career failure.
However, just because someone has the ability to write a report or explain how to perform a task doesn’t mean their communication skills cannot be improved. There are other – sometimes more subtle or oft forgotten – communication problems that can catch even the best communicators by surprise.
Consider the Unspoken Message of Body Language
The importance of body language has been debated for years. Gestures, posturing and facial expressions can say a lot about how someone is feeling or thinking even if they try to use words to mask the truth. But how important is body language to someone’s career?
According to the article, “Body Language and Communication,” by Delia Thompson, research shows that over half of communication is conveyed by our body language, approximately one-third is conveyed in our voice and less than 10% is conveyed in our actual words.
That means that even if someone is good at choosing the proper words, they may be sending a different or additional message that they don’t intend. And whether someone is seeking a new position or working hard to do the best in the job they already have, they might be talking themselves out of a job merely by how they shake hands, stand, scrunch up their nose or raise their eyebrows.
Be Sure to Use the Proper Communication Style
People use different communication styles depending on the situation. While they may address the boss, give a presentation, interact with peers and colleagues or get through a job interview in a formal, polished manner, when it comes to friends and family the interaction is more casual and relaxed. Or that’s how it should be.
Unfortunately, one way that people can talk themselves out of a job is by using the wrong communication style at an inappropriate time. Chumming up to your supervisor, regularly grousing about work (or the boss) at the wrong time or with the wrong people and discussing inappropriate topics in the office is a sure-fire way to talk yourself out of a job.
But that’s not all. Proper communication style includes written skills as well. Composing a succinct and easy-to-follow email or report can win you kudos. However, using instant messaging shorthand when communicating outside the world of texting is bad form and considered inappropriate, whether you’re sending an email to your boss or a thank you email to a potential new employer.
Always Be on Your Best Communication Behavior
Part of what makes a workplace special is the ability to feel comfortable and to enjoy the camaraderie of your coworkers. But sometimes that can lead to sharing too much personal information or creating insider and inappropriate jokes. Know where to draw the line.
Consider the career decline of Frank. He worked in a real estate development firm which required him to travel throughout the country. While all the developments were startups, some of the locations were less appealing. So Frank began giving certain developments nicknames, like Southwest Plaza became Southworst Plaza. Unfortunately, Frank’s joking became so pervasive that his boss began removing him from the travel schedule. The message his jokes were sending was that he was unprofessional and didn’t like what he was doing.
Whether written and verbal communication skills are your strong suit or not it’s important to understand their importance. And it is especially important to consider the message you’re sending. Otherwise, you might be talking yourself out of a job.
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
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