Attaining a managerial position at a workplace is something a lot of us aspire to but not many have the privilege of experiencing. Thankfully, you are in such a position. Going up the career ladder is going to be heavily dependent on how well you can manage communication. In this article, we will discuss the 5 communication skills of a good manager.
We listed down the 5 communication skills of a good manager:
- Create an Anchor Point
- Just Listen
- Be Consistent
- Be Firm Clear and Constructive
- Have a Positive Attitude
As a manager, you are not just communicating with the people you manage. You will also have to manage communication with your superiors as well as clients. This can sometimes put you in a situation where you have to put up a juggling act.
This article is going to focus on your interaction with the people you manage. It highlights things you can do to make the most of it.
But before we begin, if you are struggling with connecting with your subordinates or having problems in charming a client, you might want to get a copy of the book, Communication Skills Training: How to Talk to Anyone, Connect Effortlessly, Develop Charisma, and Become a People Person by James W. Williams.
1. Create an Anchor Point
It is very rare to have a situation where people come to work simply because they want to do good. Usually, they have their own ulterior motive such as a career path that will take them higher and further in life. Your job as a manager is to tie the goals and objectives of the company with this personal vision that they have for themselves. During communication, help people understand how attaining the vision of the company is important for their advancement in their career.
2. Just Listen
This is one of the key communication skills of a good manager. A lot of managers tend to think that their position is about telling other people what to do. But a good manager knows that listening to the voices of the people can help you gain insight that will make a difference in how effective the department you are managing becomes. Paying attention to the needs of the members of your team is essential for effective communication.
3. Be Consistent
A temperamental manager who says one thing this minute, and then says something else the next minute is not someone people would trust. You have to learn to be consistent in the things that you say. Beyond that you may also have to repeat those things several times for people to get the message.
4. Be Firm, Clear and Constructive
I cannot stress the importance of these three words in communication as a manager. People may try to twist your words and interpret it in their own way but being firm helps them understand the levity of the words. Communicating with big and obnoxious words is unproductive. Use simple and understandable terms. Finally, even if you have to criticize performance, be constructive about it. Point out the errors but also show the areas for improvement.
5. Have a Positive Attitude
Some people say you don’t have to be liked to get your job done as a manager. To an extent, this is true. However, you must understand that this does not give you a license to be a mean and negative person in the workplace. Having an optimistic outlook towards life can inject some positivity into your communication which is known to boost productivity at the workplace.
