6 Simple Steps to Communicate Effectively

Why is effective communication important in business? It boils down to the bottom line. The bottom line is a company’s net income after all expenses have been paid out of its earnings. This is the number you need to know that determines whether or not you will be in business. And without effective communication, it will be very hard to grow your business or career toward success.

Effective communication has many benefits that lead to an improved bottom line. It helps improve your business performance so you can outperform your competitors through great marketing strategies. Great communication can help you build a great team and prevent misunderstanding. And most importantly, it can have a positive impact on your customer service. Whether you sell products or services, you need to listen to the needs of your customers, answer their questions and provide answers that make sense to them. And when customers turn to social media to communicate, you need to be quick, attentive and polite.

In the book Communicating with Values (2005), Young and Mayfield, Ph.D., provide an easy-to-remember six-step process to communicate effectively. It is called the V.A.L.U.E.S. method.

Value people

Demonstrating how you value another person is critical to communicate effectively. By showing interest in the other person, you are also showing you care about what they have to say. This allows others to tell you about themselves and provides you with important information on how to invest in the relationship.

Asking

Asking questions to avoid assumptions is one of the easiest ways to minimize misunderstandings that lead to unnecessary conflict. It is better to ask questions than to assume that you know what the other person means. This is a useful technique during a sales conversation because you can tailor your offering specifically your clients’ needs by asking thoughtful questions.

Listening

True active listening requires more effort than just hearing what the other person has to say. Active listening requires that you put your own thoughts, agenda and motivations aside so you can process what the other person is trying to tell you. Active listening does not require you to do much talking; simple gestures like nodding your head while you listen can give you enough time to think about your response. Listening is one of the key elements to psychological safety in the workplace.

Understanding

The other side to listening is understanding. This is the process of working out a message to see it through the messenger’s perspective. When you accomplish this, you will make others feel like you really know what they are saying, and it will empower you with the information you need to make appropriate choices in your interactions with others.

Enabling

What can be done to help others see beyond their own limitations? Enabling. This can be done by suggesting, not ordering; leading, not driving; freeing, not enslaving; clearing, not crowding; inviting, not confronting; and supporting dreams, not breaking them.

Serving

Leadership is the art and science of accomplishing tasks through people. This is done by seeing the best in others, honoring and valuing them and creating an environment where they can be successful. No matter what title you have, you are a leader in one way or another.

You can set yourself apart with effective communication. Having good communication skills will help you achieve your goals and boost your confidence. Being able to communicate well — in writing and in speech — will set you apart from your peers. It will help you excel at work and be recognized for your accomplishments, and it will give you a competitive edge in the job market.

EDGAR RAFAEL OLIVO is a bilingual business educator, economic advisor and contributor for several media outlets. He’s a nonprofit executive who is passionate about education. He is certified in finance and data analytics and holds a business degree from Arizona State University.

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