We live in the communication age, yet it appears that this fundamental aspect of human existence is becoming more difficult than ever. It can be really difficult to get someone’s attention for long enough to address the issues you want to address. It can also be difficult to fit in all of the communication you really want to. We are communicating more, but less frequently in face-to-face interaction.
In amongst this hectic landscape it appears that there are some commonly emerging communicator types in the workforce.
This kind of communicator is not interested in talking about the weekend, sport, your family, or anything apart from the task at hand. Likely to be known as extremely hard working and focused, this person appears to have no life outside of work.
This type of communicator can be abrupt, but is typically very effective. You can’t get anything past the direct communicator because they always have their eye on the end point, and if you are having a conversation with this individual then you are expected to contribute.
On the flipside are those happy-go-lucky individuals that somehow seem to always have plenty of time to engage in a long-winded conversation. It is interesting that these people are also among the most popular in the workplace, but questions must be asked of their overall effectiveness.
The one thing the anything-but-business type does get right is that work is a social environment and should be enjoyed accordingly. Strong relationships are an important part of being effective in your work and ensuring your sanity and enjoyment within the workplace.
If you’ve ever tried to have a conversation with someone that doesn’t take their eyes off the computer screen to answer you, or is scrolling through information on their mobile device while you’re supposed to be discussing something important then you have had an experience with the dreaded multi-tasker. Apart from being rude, the multi-tasker makes the mistake of thinking that you can communicate effectively and maintain concentration on another task at the same time. Gender stereotypes aside, multi-tasking is a euphemism for divided attention, and this certainly leads to decreased performance in each of the tasks being undertaken.
There are some canny individuals within the workplace who seem to have been replaced with robots. Every call you make to them is answered by a voicemail system and the communication is replied to via email. This is an increasingly common way of communicating, but it is a form of communication that doesn’t build rapport at all. It is an emotionless way to interact and while it may allow for sustained concentration at the task at hand it will also have people in the workplace wondering if you actually exist.
One of the most frustrating types is the person who always ignores you completely. They do not respond to emails, they never return calls, they don’t show at meetings, and if it wasn’t for the odd sighting you might begin to fear they were no longer alive. This kind of person makes anyone feel really uncomfortable. What is wrong with this person?
What does it take to respond effectively? How hard is it to balance small talk with business focus? How long does it take to reply to emails and answer calls? It doesn’t take a lot of effort to be an effective communicator.
Eve Ash has produced a wide range of resources – books, DVDs and online tools to help develop effective communication skills.
Smart Company is the leading online publication in Australia for free news, information and resources catering to Australia’s entrepreneurs, small and medium business owners and business managers.
