Between email, texting, social media, and good old-fashioned phone calls, we’re constantly connected. Friends are a ping away, you can slide into a celebrity’s DMs, and your boss who lives thousands of miles away can be right at your desk with the help of Zoom.
According to Pew Research Center, 85% of Americans own a smartphone, and 72% of the public uses some type of social media. When they began tracking American’s internet usage, about half of adults were internet users in the early 2000s. Today, that number has skyrocketed to 93%.
We’re constantly connected, and thus, constantly communicating. With Zoom fatigue at an all-time high and employees feeling burnout like they’ve never experienced before, how can we ensure we’re making the best use of the time we spend on technology? It all comes down to communication.
Even at the times where we don’t think we’re saying anything, we’re speaking volumes. When you’re Slack says you’re available, coworkers see that as an opportunity to reach out. When you’re out of office reply is on, you’re letting people know you won’t be responding in a timely manner.
In today’s digital age, communicating is easy, but effective communication in the workplace can be a bit more challenging. Communication is a key skill at work, and it’s even more important for leaders. Relaying timely messages to your team, communicating how to work together, and providing feedback are critical skills. While technology can assist with these communications, it also contributes to the noise, especially this past year when the state of the world forced companies to go digital. So how can we effectively communicate and not get our wires crossed? Here are a few ways.
Give your full attention.
While it’s tempting to pick up your phone and scroll while on a Zoom call or check your email when talking to your partner, don’t, put the phone down and give whoever you’re talking to your full attention. It’s impossible to be present when you have your phone in your hand. If you want to communicate effectively, you need to devote yourself to the conversation at hand. If you have to, try putting your phone in a different room so you won’t be tempted to look at it.
Listen.
Once you give your full attention to the conversation, the most important thing you can do to communicate is listen. It’s easy to misinterpret messages, leading to communication breakdowns and frustration, especially today when the same message can be received via multiple platforms but interrupted differently based on the reader. Listening demonstrates we’re paying attention to thoughts and feelings and is the most crucial component of a productive conversation and relationship.
Listening also demonstrates that you care about the person you’re conversing with, which can then establish trust in the relationship. If there’s ever any confusion about a message, repeating back what you heard to the speaker can help alleviate any possible misunderstandings.
Be intentional.
Zoom fatigue is at an all-time high. But think back to pre-pandemic times, was every meeting a video meeting? Absolutely not. So there’s no reason every meeting has to be face-to-face now. Be intentional about your platform for communication. You’ll never be able to please everyone, but choose the medium that works best for most.
Show up authentically.
Authentic employees and leaders inspire others. Authenticity helps us establish connections with others, and therefore, build trust. When people trust you, they want to communicate with you and listen to you. Bringing your most authentic self to the workplace can ensure effective communication because people won’t hesitate to reach out to you to share good news or fill you in on an upcoming project.
Work at it.
We don’t become effective communicators overnight. It takes time and experience. But the only way to improve is to try. Challenge yourself to bring your full attention to one meeting today. Push everything else out of mind and be present in that moment. Then next week, propose a medium you think would work best for your team meeting. The good thing is we’re constantly communicating, so there’s plenty of time for practice.
