Communication is the foundation of everything we do. Whether you leave the house or not, you still communicate with others daily, be it online or in person. How well you get along with people hinges on how well you communicate. How successful you are in life hinges on how well you communicate. There are a few ‘rules’ that you can apply to all of your communications.

As you read on, I encourage you to recognize that different types of communication may be read in other ways… so if you get an off-response, it may be best to change channels and clarify.

Why?

This is specifically for work or professional communication. Often, we waste a lot of time and energy communicating when we don’t actually know why we’re bothering. So, think about what you would like to accomplish?

This can also be applied to your personal life, even idle chit-chat can have some type of purpose, whether it’s bonding or getting to know someone.

When others initiate a conversation, consider why it’s taking place. If you can’t understand why try to gently guide the dialogue to determine the why. The purpose of this is to focus and understand the why to avoid rabbit trails and side issues that detract from the manner at hand.

I used to work for a company that really believed the purpose of a meeting was to schedule additional meetings?!?! That could not be my “Why”.

In-Person Communication

Have you ever fallen out with someone over text message? Or watched a fight unfold on social media because one person read someone else’s tone wrong? If you’re dealing with a highly emotional issue, then it should be addressed in person. If it’s impossible to do so in person, at least do so via video call. This goes for positive and negative emotions. If you’re delivering great news then you want everyone to get sucked into your positive energy.

As far as bad news or negative conversations go, it will be received better if you do the job in person.

Email Facts

People often lose concentration when they are being given facts and figures verbally. If you’re dealing with a finance issue, statistics, or otherwise, opt for emailing this information so the other person can easily look back on the numbers when necessary. Format to me here is important.

Remember to start emails with some type of greeting – it’s polite. This was a fault of my own until the most unlikely source on the planet called my attention to it. I used to be all business and straight to what needs to be done, instead of “Good morning, hope you are well…”. From there I am sure to use narrative paragraphs for ideas and bullets and tables for action items and data.

In the end, short is bliss. Do not be the long email guy/gal.

No Talking, Just Listen

This is applicable to in-person communication. Stop spending so much time doing all the talking and start listening. Unless you are the one who came to the table to start a conversation, give others the respect they’re due when they are trying to communicate their ideas or feelings. Don’t dominate conversations with your motor-mouth.

Simplicity

We live in a society of information overload so simplify your messages. You might use five sentences, but you can probably say it with one. However – be polite.