Be Fluent In Your Employees’ Communication Style

Try watching a TED talk in a language you don’t understand. The speaker could be a Nobel Peace Prize winner, providing insights that could positively change your life or improve your business operations overnight. No matter how valuable the information is, you still couldn't comprehend it, let alone use the advice to your advantage.

This is what it’s like when you’re trying to communicate with your employees without adapting to their communication style.

Of course, most of us don’t have to consider language barriers when we speak to our employees. However, that doesn’t mean you’re doing a better job expressing what you want from your employees. Ultimately, your guidance fails to be useful if you don’t adapt your message to the best communication style for your employees.

When you’re the head of your organization, you’re naturally the loudest voice in the room. You’re in charge of giving directions to the team members and ensuring that everyone is completing their tasks as they’re supposed to. 

Some might think that employees should have to adjust to their superiors' communication style just because they’re in charge. Actually, it’s the opposite.

Since a boss’s main responsibility is leading their employees to success, they should adjust their communication style to match their employees so they can express what they want effectively. All that matters is that the job gets done, but how are employees supposed to do their tasks correctly if the directions aren’t clear to them in the first place?

Try to get to know your employees. Talk to them and see how they want to be communicated with. Review what projects or communication styles have been most effective in the past, and try to keep this in mind as you continually work together.

Everyone has their own communication styles. While there’s overlap in how people prefer to communicate, some people just process information differently than others, such as preferring visuals or being an audible learner. The more you know your employees’ individual communication styles, the easier it will be to find the common denominator of how best to get your message across.

While it might seem like a painstaking process, it’ll pay off over time. If you constantly adapt to how your employees communicate, they will process the instructions you give them much better and will be likelier to nail the actions on the first try. They’re also more likely to understand the nuances of what you’re asking for and avoid mistakes.

Ultimately, your employees want to listen to you. It’s your job to make sure they understand.

If you need help learning how to communicate with your employees properly, you’re in luck. 

Our team at Bering McKinley are experts in assisting in company communications. We’ll be happy to help you reach your employees and assist in the overall effectiveness of your business operations.

If you’re ready to become a better communicator, contact us today.