Communicating in the workplace

10 tips for better communication on the work floor
(source: Wetalent )

1. Listening
   Listening sounds simple, but is often more difficult than you think. It often happens that we interrupt a conversation when we disagree with the other. Try to avoid only listening so that you yourself can speak as soon as possible. Someone who does not get a chance to finish talking may feel that he or she is not being heard. In addition, someone who is interrupted will never believe that you have fully understood their point. By letting the other person finish his/her story and listen carefully to the core of the story, your partner will feel appreciated and will have a better understanding of the point you are making. Good listening is essential to understand a story and ask good questions. This in turn gives the conversation more depth, allowing you to come up with better ideas and/or make better decisions.
    
2. Don't choose sides
   There are two or more sides to a difference of opinion between colleagues. If there is no obvious choice, it is difficult to make a choice. The best thing you can do then is not to choose sides, but (if possible) to look for a joint solution in which the similarities are shared instead of the differences. It is not always possible, but try to find a win-win. Then emphasize the similarities between the two sides so that both are involved in the result.
    
3. Think in solutions instead of problems
   Discussions or meetings regularly discuss problems and how they emerge. Of course it is valuable to talk about this, but the solution is much more important. If the focus is on the problems, there is a good chance that people will point at each other and conflicts will arise. A better approach is to think and communicate in solutions at such a moment. Solution-focused communication is about speaking in the form of solutions. The focus on solutions paves the way for a positive and effective way to make progress. Therefore, don't put problems on the table, but solutions.
    
4. Apologize for your mistakes
   Everybody makes mistakes, including you. Looking at your colleagues, making a mistake is unpleasant. However, not admitting a mistake and/or not apologizing is a much greater annoyance. Our pride often plays a role in this. If we don't admit our mistakes, we will remain stuck, we will stop listening and conflicts will arise. Be the person who can admit that you were wrong and communicate this. When you do this, you will find that you will be appreciated more quickly, those involved will be happier and the problems will be much easier to solve.
    
5. Be positive
   Being positive is not always easy, everyone has good days and bad days. Yet you will find that if you take a positive attitude yourself, you will experience a lot of positivity around you. This also works the other way around, a negative attitude attracts negativity. By adopting a positive attitude, you ensure that people see that you are open to contact. This makes your colleagues feel more comfortable, trusted and they are more likely to open up. Make sure your body posture is open, use positive terms, laugh a lot and make a lot of eye contact. A positive attitude also ensures that you enjoy going to work more.
    
6. Feedback
   Feedback plays a major role in communication. If feedback is given in a negative way, a lot of frustration can arise and this can lead to heated discussions. Another big mistake is avoiding feedback. If people in the workplace do not express their negative feedback, this certainly does not benefit the working atmosphere. A good first step is to ask for feedback regarding your own behaviour and functioning. And yes, critical things will probably emerge here as well. Try to see this as constructive criticism and accept that someone else experiences it this way. Keep listening, let it sink in and thank the other for giving his/her opinion. By asking for feedback yourself, colleagues will be more open to your feedback. Always pay attention to the timing of your feedback. Make sure you have enough time and don't drop it somewhere in between. In addition, always discuss the behaviour of the person and not the person himself/herself. Find a good balance between positive and negative feedback.
    

7. Compliment
   In the workplace, there are many people who may feel undervalued. Often they are not really undervalued, but they do experience this because the appreciation is not being communicated enough. By giving compliments to your colleagues more often, you give them personal attention and appreciation. In this way your colleagues become more motivated and you look perceptive and nice. Try to compliment clearly and conspicuously. By doing so, you make the distinction between a real compliment and a remark. Avoid gossiping about colleagues at all times. You will look bad and if your colleagues find out that you are criticizing behind their backs, you will be damaging the company atmosphere.
    

8. Give everyone a chance
   Some people express themselves a lot easier than others and it will often be the same people who take the lead in meetings and discussions. These people overshadow the somewhat cautious people in a meeting. These people often have just as good ideas, arguments and insights as others, but are too afraid to share them. By giving everyone a turn and involving them in meetings by default, you will prevent the cautious colleagues from acting in the background. Give everyone a chance to have their say at every meeting and colleagues will dare to speak more openly, and communicate better with each other. 
    

9. Communicate concretely 
   Communicating well doesn't mean communicating a lot. Clarity in your communication is better than unnecessarily long or detailed stories. This prevents confusion and irritation. Focus on the core of your story and communicate in a way that makes the message immediately clear. Your colleagues can always ask questions about your story and ask for explanations.
    

10. Working together
    Departments and teams that work together perform better than teams that don't get along well. Working together is therefore essential on the shop floor. One of the most important points to work well together is good communication.