How to Be a Better Communicator in 5 Steps

By Jon Simmons, Monster contributor

Communication skills in the workplace are as crucial as any new-fangled technology to the success of a business in any industry you can think of—especially now with so many people now working remotely in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, people tend to be really, really bad at expressing their wants and needs. There's never been a better time to learn how to be a better communicator.

Not only can proverbial crossed wires make your job more difficult (and less pleasant), it can also be costly, literally. In his often-cited report “The Cost of Poor Communication,” David Grossman surveyed 400 companies with 100,000 employees each, and found an average loss per company of $62.4 million per year because of poor communication to and between employees. Ouch.

Good communication skills help you to move through the twists and turns of human interaction with less friction. Learn to do that, and you’ll stand a much better chance of staying calm and resentment-free, and possibly even landing the kind of assignments you’ve been longing for.

Monster has tips to help you improve your communication skills at your job.

How to Communicate Better at Work

No. 1: Only Promise to Do Things If You Can Actually Do Them

In some ways, being a “yes man” can serve you well in your career, but it’s easy to slip into the "I need to please everyone" mode and get overwhelmed. Bite off only as much as you can chew at one time.

Remember that Actions speak louder than words. Be consistent in doing what you say and saying what you do.

If you say you’re going to finish a PowerPoint presentation by Friday, do it. If you can’t do it, don’t commit. It’s better to say no to something upfront than fail to complete the assignment. Credibility, trust, and respect are things you earn on the job.

No. 2: Don’t Wait Until You Feel Overwhelmed

As much as you adopt the advice from Resolution No. 1, you’re likely still going to be overworked at times. (Such is life in the working world.) That makes communicating when you’re feeling overwhelmed critical to your long-term success. Don't wait for a crisis to emerge before you practice your communication skills.

Talk to your supervisor or manager as soon as you feel that you need help or can't meet your deadlines. See if you can get some help completing assignments or getting deadline extensions.

No. 3: Share Relevant News with Your Coworkers

Want to be recognized as an informed, interested employee who looks out for others? One of the best ways to do so is to pass along relevant news to the people you work with.

Whether you're listening to a podcast, reading a news article, or just scrolling on Twitter, if you are learn something that might be helpful or interesting to your team, pass along that information.

No. 4: Streamline Communications by Creating a "Talk to" List

One of the key tenets of how to be a better communicator involves getting organized. Instead of shooting your coworker an email every time you need an answer, try to save all of your questions for one communication—whether that’s in a conversation or an email.

To help organize and consolidate your thoughts, make a talk to list for individual coworkers. When you think of things you need to pass along to them, create tasks that start with his or her name, along with whatever you need to say.

For example:

Joe: Ask his opinion on the pricing for the client proposal; confirm proposal deadline

This way, you won’t be guilty of the very thing you’re trying to avoid in Resolution #2.

No. 5: Ask Open-Ended Questions

Good communication isn’t just about expressing yourself; it’s also about asking the right kind of questions so you’re able to receive information as successfully as you deliver it.

A simple way to help you learn how to be a better communicator is to ask open-ended questions. These are questions that begin with who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Let’s face it—questions that only require yes/no answers aren’t going to tell you much. But asking questions that begin with the five w's gives the person you're talking to the chance to share his or her knowledge with you.

Be prepared to listen to the answers and ask follow-up questions until both of you are clear on the next steps or actions to take. That’s when you’re really engaging in effective office communication.

Be Heard

Learning how to be a better communicator takes time and persistence, but not only will you benefit, so will everyone in your life. Could you use more tips for excelling at your job? Make a free profile on Monster today. We can send you career advice, job search tips, and workplace insights to help you rise to every occasion. We hear you and we're here for you.