Communicate Effectively

Let's examine how to convey messages effectively.

Your goal is to develop effective communication in your technological and multimedia environment.

"Speaking is a need. Listening is an art."

Goethe realized how difficult effective communication was, even in his day. Layer in today’s mix of technologies, and the challenge is greater than ever!

Use the Tools at Your Disposal

Your daily life is complex! You have to juggle work, frequent travel, meetings, unforeseen demands from your line manager (and other management) - and your management duties.

New technologies have made it easier to circulate information. You are becoming a connected manager with all of the benefits of communication and information-sharing tools!

Email

Email is the most widely used form of communication for teamwork and can be effective, provided that it is used wisely! Indeed, your inbox can quickly become too full, at which point emails become inefficient.

Virtual Meetings

You no longer need to be in the same room as your co-workers to have a conversation, hold a meeting, or work more productively.

You can connect from your laptop, tablet, or even smartphone.

You can also share all kinds of documents, often in the company’s own dedicated cloud, allowing teams to work on the same materials.

Schedule Management Tools

You can use your messaging software or appointment booking software like Doodle, Framadate, or Calendly.

The Company's Social Network

Having an "internal Facebook" is becoming more common and is an effective way to combat lost time due to inbox management.

Collaborative Working Tools

Remote or asynchronous working will require you to use specific tools to facilitate collaboration between all team members.

Instant Messaging

An IM is an efficient substitute for an email in many cases when used well. However, it tends to be an additional distraction rather than a replacement because it's one more channel to pay attention to.

A few instant messaging tools you could use:

• Slack is suitable for creating instant conversations organized by subject matter, with a well-designed system for sharing data.

• Discord has features similar to Slack and a better optimized tool for voice chats.

Communicate via Email

Email remains a default communication tool!

When to Use Email

• Replying to an email.

• Requesting information (one-off, non-urgent requests).

• Distributing a working document (or a link to one), the minutes of a meeting, or an internal company memo.

• Sending an invitation to a meeting.

When Not to Use Email

• Congratulating staff: there is no substitute for speaking to them! You could still send an email to congratulate the whole team for their collective results, inviting them to a celebratory drink, for example, where you congratulate them again.

• Reprimanding a member of your team. You shouldn't rein people in via email.

• When there is a risk of controversy, which would only turn the discussion sour.

• An urgent question: the recipient may not be using their inbox. In this case, it is better to give them a phone call or see them directly.

A Few Tips for Writing an Email

People tend to keep emails. Therefore, you must be careful - it leaves a trail and may be taken out of its original context.

Think carefully about the subject line to draw the recipient's attention and tell them what your email is about.

Adopt a simple style (don't use complicated words), but don't use SMS shorthand. Be brief and concise. If you have an attachment, only introduce the key points briefly in the body of the email.

Be positive and engaging in your phrasing. For example, if you have to announce bad news, describe a positive outcome that may occur.

Finally, proofread your message to avoid typos and make sure your message is clear!

Give a Presentation to an Audience

Giving a presentation to an audience is often seen as a moment of truth in a manager's professional life.

Prepare Your Talk

Work on the substance or content of your presentation and create the visual materials you intend to use. Also, think about the slide transitions to keep the audience's attention.

Above all, adapt what you say to your audience's level of expertise in the subject.

Keep your slides brief by limiting the number of words and lines of text. You are the one presenting the information, not your slides! Your audience should not feel obliged to read them.

In practical terms:

• One idea per visual stimulus.

• The image should reinforce the idea.

• Use color to draw attention to the essential points.

On the Day, Make Sure Everything Is Ready

On the day, arrive early to make sure the room is ready, there are no temperature issues, the presentation is on the laptop of whoever is running the projector, the projector works, etc.

Take Particular Care of the Introduction

The introduction is your chance to capture your audience's attention. Therefore, it should be clear and enticing.

During Your Presentation

Be yourself: don't try to play a part!

Maintain eye contact with your audience, so each person feels you are talking only to them. Use non-verbal cues to reinforce your message with body language, movement, gestures, etc.

Speak at a slow, steady pace: you have plenty of time! At the same time, show enthusiasm and give it a rhythm:

• Speak in short sentences.

• Play on pauses.

• Involve your listeners.

Above all, remember that you have a major advantage over others in the room. You're one step ahead of the participants because you know where you want to lead them.

Develop Active Listening

Communication is a two-way street, and listening is a skill that you must nurture. Unfortunately, most of us have an annoying tendency to want to convince everyone around us of our point of view.

Active listening can be summarized in three stages:

1) Asking Questions Preferably Open Ones, to Facilitate a Discussion.

2) Really Listening, Which Includes:

• Not interrupting the other person.

• Staying focused on the person (don’t be tempted to glance at your screens!).

• Paying attention to the substance and to the words they use.

• Taking notes if necessary.

• Being attentive to their facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures, and attitude.

• Concentrating on what you feel as you listen.

3) Reformulating What the Other Person Said so They Are Sure You Have Understood:

• Summarize what they have said using your own words.

• Make sure they confirm that you have understood them correctly.

• Put them at ease, so they feel comfortable going into more detail where necessary.

Above all, do not judge or interpret!

Your goal is to listen, understand what they’re saying, and give your full attention.

Let's Recap!

• Become a connected manager without neglecting human relationships. Use suitable communication channels such as: 

  • Email for important information.

  • Virtual meetings, when your team is working from home.

  • The company's social network for sharing short, brief pieces of information with as many people as possible.

  • Instant messaging for daily communications about a project or an activity in progress. 

• Carefully prepare your presentations by paying attention to both form and substance:

  • Prepare your slides diligently and rehearse to feel at ease with the content.

  • Make sure that everything is OK from a technical point of view and stay in control of the pace of your delivery.

  • Ask your audience what they remember from the presentation, answering any questions that may arise.

• Apply active listening to understand better what your team members want to share with you.

Before considering your daily role as a manager, test your knowledge with the quiz in the next chapter.