Effective Communication: The Art of Career Advancement and Recognition
In the hustle and bustle of the corporate world, the art of effective communication is often the unsung hero behind triumphs and tribulations. I recently encountered a situation that involved presenting an idea to a superior and demonstrated the role of effective communication. Let me share with all of you.
Yesterday afternoon, one of my staff approached me with a proposal:
Employee: “Hey, I think implementing Action A will help us achieve the User KPIs in January 2023”
But, this action doesn’t directly impact user numbers…
Me: “Why choose Action A? How does it relate to our KPI?”
Employee: Despite providing extensive explanations, the employee failed to answer my question.
Me: “Do you have any data to evaluate if implementing Action A will indeed benefit our KPI?”
The employee remained silent.
Me: “Conduct an impact analysis. Show me how Action A will uplift our numbers and if it’s worth the resources we invest.”
Employee: “But it won’t use resources from our squad, right?”
Me: “If there’s no value, why will we waste of resources for anyone?”
The conversation concluded, leaving me frustrated and the employee seemingly uncomfortable. The issue here is apparent — my employee failed to adequately prepare with sufficient information and data to persuade me in making a decision. The lack of a clear organizational structure in his communication and the absence of supporting data significantly affected his ability to convince.
Takeaways: Effective communication skills are key to building trust and gaining recognition in the workplace, especially when you work with upper levels.
And personally, here are some ways that I am using to improve my communication skill on daily basic.
1. Structure Your Communication
- Get clear on why you’re talking (purpose) and who you’re talking to (audience)
- Make your story logically by talking with a framework
- Have a clear message that you want to convey in mind
2. Choose a talking framework
Pick a storytelling method that suits your tale. It could be:
- What — So what — Now what
- Past — Present — Future
- Goal — Alternatives — Assessment
- Situation — Opportunity — Resolution…
Please read in detail here: https://medium.com/@phuongndc/lift-up-your-presentation-1ad72626d619
3. Backup Your Message with Data
- Crunch those numbers and play out different scenarios.
- Compare your stats with other data sets and timeframes to make your case rock-solid.
4. Enrich Insights with your expertise
Spice up your data-driven insights with your own professional know-how for that all-around perspective.
5. Practice, practice and practice
Take your time to practice to improve your speech flow and boost the confidence.
Last but not least: Don’t try to convince others to do something if you’re not confident in it yourself. Put yourself in their shoes, ask questions, and challenge yourself to find the right information and approach. Smooth communication and sufficient information will save time for both parties, especially the most important people in the company.
In short, no job is easy and no promotion is too simple. It requires preparation in terms of skills and understanding of what’s important. A strong effective communication allows us to shine and be recognized. So, let’s equip ourselves with the necessary skills and light our path with positivity and determination.
I’d be happy to hear your thoughts. Please kindly share in the comments. Thank you for reading.
