Communication is something we do every day and have done since the day we are born. We literally come into the world loudly communicating that we have arrived. It’s a part of what it means to be human, and in many ways is so fundamental that we don’t even think about it. Like breathing, it’s often something we do without much thought.
So, what does it mean to be a strong communicator?
Unlike breathing, communication is not something totally innate. Some forms of communication are automatic, like communicating pain by shouting. However, the intricate communication needed to build strong relationships is a skill set we must develop.
We don’t need to accept our poor communication habits as just another part of who we are. These habits impact our ability to build relationships and thus our effectiveness at work. Being able to build good relationships is foundational for finding success and happiness. Whether we like it or not, relationships are as important in our work life as outside of it.
Despite this, most of us receive little to no communication training. If you’re wondering why you’re struggling to gain traction in your career, it might be your communication. Poor communication is career-limiting and relationship damaging.
Here are seven signs that you could use some communication training:
- Miscommunication is common in your life.
When we have miscommunications, it’s easy to blame other people. We make excuses for ourselves, but at the end of the day, most miscommunications can be avoided.
Assumptions are at the core of miscommunications. We are either assuming that we are understood, or we are assuming we understand. In your day-to-day life, how often are miscommunications happening? If it’s one of your main pain points, then you’re making too many assumptions, and communication training can help with this.
- You get a lot of clarifying questions.
Asking clarifying questions is a fantastic communication skill. It ensures that you move beyond assumptions and towards clarity. However, for example, if you’re receiving clarifying questions after most answers you deliver, you’re likely struggling with clarity.
Clarifying questions are used to uncover the essentials of an answer. If people need to clarify your answers often, then you need to develop your skills at answering questions.
- Your emails aren’t replied to and often aren’t read.
Email is the weak spot in many organizations’ communications and can be extremely limiting to career growth. A combination of poorly written emails, too many emails, and emails being left unread can slow productivity and damage business. Poorly written emails cost businesses enormous amounts of money each year.
While some of these issues can be grounded in company culture, developing your email writing skills will help you stand out. When you develop a reputation for sending clear and informative emails, your emails will have a higher likelihood of being read and replied to.
We all have that person whose emails we avoid because they are too long, too confusing, or feel pointless. Training on how to write an email is how we avoid being that person for someone else.
- You struggle to speak in front of an audience.
Speaking in front of a group is hard, and it’s through strong physical and verbal presence that we make our ideas stand out. When we are trying to build our career, making a good impression in meetings is one way we can differentiate ourselves.
Many of us just accept that we are bad at speaking, but we don’t have to. While it comes more naturally to some, speaking to an audience is a buildable skill. With training and coaching, we can develop the tools we need to show up how we want, no matter who is in the audience.
- You know your stuff but struggle to share your knowledge.
If someone has a million dollars locked in a safe at the bottom of the ocean and they are unable to access it, are they actually a millionaire? You might know your stuff, but if you’re unable to access and deliver your knowledge when needed, then you’ll struggle to build credibility for your expertise.
You’ll know you struggle with this if you’ve had feedback about being longwinded in explanations or feedback about lacking clarity and missing information. Sometimes it’s hardest to communicate knowledge we know extremely well because we either pile on all the information that could possibly be relevant, or we assume people know more than they do.
- You often receive feedback that you’re too direct.
Direct communication is fantastic, but if you’ve received feedback about being too direct, this is something you’ll want to work on. If someone has told you that you’re too direct, then you’ve crossed the line from direct to rude.
At work, we’re usually not intending to be rude or abrasive, but if that’s what’s coming across, then it’s damaging our relationships. Communication training can help soften the edges so that we can keep the positives of being direct while limiting relationship damage.
- You struggle to hold attention and build relationships.
It can be deeply frustrating to struggle to build relationships in the workplace. It’s more than career-limiting, lacking connection at work will lower motivation and can lead to burnout. If you are struggling to form connections, communication training and coaching are things that can help you bridge the gap.
You don’t need to have close friends at work, but feeling forgotten, overlooked, and not listened to will impact your ability to build your career and do your best work.
Conclusion
It is absolutely worth investing in developing communication skills in ourselves, our teams, and our companies. Communication is central to creating and building a fulfilling career. Poor communication negatively impacts employee satisfaction, productivity, and it hurts the bottom line. Despite being at the core of everything we do, many companies and professionals neglect to build these skills.
The good news is that if you identify with any of the signs we listed above, there are skills that you can develop that will improve your communication style. Just because you’ve struggled with something in the past doesn’t mean that it has to define your future.
If you are interested in professional development opportunities at Cadence Leadership and Communication, please reach out to us here. We offer coaching, team courses, and Open Enrollment courses.
Our Open Enrollment Communication Core is a great place to start for foundational professional communication training. Check out Answer the Damn Question, Own the Room, and As Per My Last Email for more details on each course.
Your greatness awaits.
