Make your workplace conversations specific so that the other person understands them well

Improving communication skills can be a daunting task.

80% of our time is spent communicating.

This includes time spent both as receiver and sender of communication- Writing Emails (or reading them), Giving Presentations (or attending them), Speaking in Meetings (or Listening in), Interviews, Messaging, etc.

Organizations have seen massive growth by just improving communication skills.

Our productivity, workplace satisfaction, and depth of interpersonal connections are all made through conversations. The key essence being: our ability to comprehend the message and/or the efficiency of our communication to others.

On average we speak 7000+ words in a day.

We are bound to mess it up, not know, and get frustrated with the challenges of it. Oh, you meant red, but I understood pink!

Based on my vast learnings and experience on this topic, here’s a simple (yet difficult) trick to make your corporate communications real and impactful:

Be Specific.

1. Tell the other person exactly what you mean. If you mean red, say red- don’t say bright and cheerful- Red. Period.
2. Don’t assume the other person would/should understand.

Here’s how this specificity plays out in workplace:

During generic conversations:

How are you?

Problem: This is such a wide question with endless possibilities as answers. Do you want to know about my health, my day, or my feelings?

Specific: How has your day been till now?

I am sorry.

Problem: I could want you to be sorry for a million things, so what exactly is this Sorry for?

Specific: I am sorry for keeping you waiting to start the meeting.

While giving feedback:

You were great in the meeting.

Problem: Great meaning? Was I great with data slides, great at handling questions, great with preparation, or was I looking great?

Specific: You were great in handling that stakeholder’s question on escalation management. It changed the direction of the meeting in our favour.

This is not the way to do this.

Problem: What Way? To do what?

Specific: This is not the way to request for change of timelines. You should instead, do <specify action>.

During work-related dependencies:

I will get back to you.

Problem: Ahem, why can’t you tell me now? How long am I supposed to wait?

Specific: I will get back to you by early next week since I need to review your data with the context given today.

Thank You.

Problem: You write this in all your emails to all the people in the office, why should I give any weight to it? What are you thankful for?

Specific: Thank you in anticipation that you’d be able to send your data by Friday, 12 noon.

I am looking for someone with a go-getter attitude.

Problem: 9.5 candidates out of 10 would say they are go-getters, do you want to screen all of them?

Specific: I am looking for someone who can work stretched hours, in an ambiguous environment and has worked on tight budgets.

Being specific will need an extra effort from you, but the positive outcomes of these conversations would give you the desired benefits.