Tips for Communicating Well at Work

What are the most common mistakes you see people make when it comes to communicating at work?

Junior people [are often] afraid to ask for or get the help they need … If you’re working on something and you either can’t finish it because of time constraints or because you don’t have the appropriate resources or know-how, you need to fix that problem … Say to your manager, “Look, I’m really excited about this project, I’m new at working on it, I want to produce a stellar product for you. Here’s what I need to get the job done well” … Those conversations don’t happen as often as they need to.

You write about the importance of mastering the hello and goodbye. Are you saying a simple “Good morning” doesn’t cut it?

It may, in certain situations … When you start a phone conversation with someone, the way you start the call is your introduction, your purpose for the call, and the key question. And the key question is, “Do you have a minute to speak?” I’m sure you’ve received a call from someone when they started talking and you weren’t expecting their call or ready for their call, you maybe didn’t want to speak to them, and all of the sudden you’re thinking, Oh my gosh, how do I get off the phone?

Being generous when you begin a conversation with someone is giving them an out. [Ask], “Is this a good time to speak?” [Or] “Do you have a few minutes?” If they don’t, [say,] “When is a good time for us to catch up?”

And on the goodbye, the goodbye is not an ending. It’s a beginning. It’s all about keeping that door open for future conversation … [When] you finish a conversation, you say, thank you, [and] you normally thank them for their help. If they haven’t been helpful … you thank them for their time, no matter what.

How do you keep the door open?

Keeping the door open is [saying], “Thanks so much, it was great speaking with you. I look forward to keeping in touch. Would it be okay if I shot you my contact details?” [Or] “Please let me know if you have any additional questions for me” or “I may reach out to you and have some follow-up questions” … It’s all about, what’s the next step?

When you train business students, what are some of the tips you give them?

When you need help halfway through a project, I always want you to take a stand and have an opinion on the right course of action. It’s important to ask for help. There’s a caveat, however. If you’re asking for help on something you’re working on, I want you to come to me and tell me, “Jodi, Here’s where I am with this project. Here’s what I think the right course of action is, and I want to get your thoughts on whether or not I’m going in the right direction.”

Alexis Grant, USA News