Communication is a skill that’s essential for success in all areas of life, and there are many ways to develop your know-how. When it comes to communicating with others, the world can be divided into two groups: those who have mastered the use of etiquette and protocol and those who haven’t. And for good reason communication etiquette is crucial for conveying respect and professionalism through your words, actions, and even body language.
This article will go over some of the most important communication etiquette tips you should know so that you can feel confident in any situation.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Good communication etiquette is essential for building strong relationships, both personally and professionally. |
| 2. Active listening plays a vital role in effective communication and shows respect for the speaker. |
| 3. Practice clear and concise communication to ensure your message is understood. |
| 4. Use proper email etiquette, including clear subject lines and professional language. |
| 5. Be mindful of non-verbal communication, such as body language and facial expressions. |
| 6. Show respect for others’ time by being punctual and avoiding distractions during conversations. |
| 7. Respond to messages in a timely manner to maintain effective communication. |
| 8. Use constructive feedback and avoid criticizing or blaming others. |
| 9. Adapt your communication style to different situations and individuals. |
| 10. Practice empathy and understanding to create a positive communication environment. |
| 11. Be mindful of cultural differences and adjust your communication accordingly. |
| 12. Apologize sincerely when necessary and take responsibility for mistakes. |
| 13. Continuously work on improving your communication skills for personal and professional growth. |
1. Know The Difference Between Talking And Communicating
Effective communication is a skill that must be learned and practiced. The good news is that it’s actually quite easy to learn. It just takes some practice and patience. A key piece of advice for learning how to communicate effectively is understanding that NOT talking and listening are two equally important parts of communicating.
Oftentimes, we think talking more will improve our communication skills but simply putting more words into the conversation doesn’t mean you’re better at communicating than your friend who listens more than they talk. Talking isn’t the same as communication. One of the fundamental parts of being an effective communicator is knowing when to listen and knowing when to talk.Learning how to communicate is a life-long skill.
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2. Make An Effort To Connect
Make eye contact. For most people, an authentic connection can only be made when they feel like you’re truly seeing them and paying attention to what they have to say. Making good eye contact is essential to connecting with others.
Smile. Smiling creates a positive impression and sets the tone for the conversation (it’s also contagious). Even if there are challenges in your day, starting with a smile will make you appear more approachable and friendly.
Be a good listener. Effective communication is very much about listening as much as it is about speaking. Listen carefully before offering feedback or advice so that you can fully understand what it is that needs to be addressed before moving forward with the conversation.
Be present in the conversation, don’t do anything else while talking because dividing your attention will come off as disrespectful to the other person and may lead them to doubt that you really care about what they’re saying (besides, smartphones can wait!). The best way to show someone you’re interested in them is by giving them your full attention when conversing together. This includes maintaining appropriate body language by not folding your arms or turning away from them when they’re speaking (which suggests disinterest).
Be polite at all times; don’t be rude when disagreeing with someone or offering critical feedback, even if it’s deserved!
3. Put Devices Away While Engaging With Others
With the advent of mobile devices, it’s easy to become preoccupied by our phones when we’re in the company of others. However, it is important to remember that these devices are both a distraction from face-to-face communication and a barrier between you and the other people in a room.
Although technology has made connecting with each other much easier, it is crucial that we not lose sight of its bigger purpose to help us share meaningful experiences with those around us. In order to be present during conversations with your loved ones, friends and co-workers, put your phone away while engaging with them.
When you have something on your mind besides the conversation at hand or some pressing issue you need to tend to (like returning an email), it’s best to excuse yourself from the room before checking in on things. If you give people your full attention, they will be more likely to reciprocate and more likely to appreciate what you have said.
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4. Pay Attention To Your Body Language
Now that you’ve mastered the art of using vocal inflections, it’s time to talk about body language. As you may already know, body language is how we use our bodies to communicate nonverbally. Things like eye contact and posture fall into this category. Let’s start with confidence. It turns out, that sometimes your body can speak louder than your words! Standing up straight helps show confidence without saying a word.
Also, keep your head up and eyes open this will help you engage with others more fully and avoid looking distracted or uninterested in what they’re saying. Eye contact is especially important when listening; it shows that you’re engaged in the conversation and not thinking about something else.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to show empathy (or sympathy) when someone tells you bad news, it’s generally better to take a more tentative posture: think of leaning slightly forward instead of standing upright, holding your arms close to your body rather than wide apart (especially if talking about a sensitive topic), keeping your hands together instead of gesturing wildly as the mood strikes you get the idea.
5. Watch Your Tone Of Voice
Did you know that there are at least four different ways to say the word “hello?” According to a linguist studying communication for business, each way conveys a totally different meaning. In addition to the words themselves, what you do with your voice can affect a listener’s feelings and actions.
For example, if you are asking someone else to do something that they don’t want to do (such as taking out the garbage), it is better to use an upward inflection rather than saying it in a flat or downward tone of voice. This will make them feel less resistant and more inclined to complete the task.
6. Learn To Listen With Empathy
Listening is a core communication skill, and it’s not just about hearing the words that people say. It’s also about understanding how they feel and showing them you understand. We call this listening with empathy, but you may also hear it referred to as active listening.
To listen with empathy, you must listen to understand where others are coming from and why they feel a certain way. Listening with an open mind will help ensure that you don’t become defensive when someone disagrees with your point of view or shares something negative about their experience working with you.
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7. Beware Of “Gossip”
Gossip can often be confused with healthy communication, and it’s important to be able to tell the difference. Gossip is sharing or exchanging a piece of information that is not yours to share or exchange. Gossip might be sharing sensitive information about a friend with another friend who does not need to know; gossip might be spreading rumors about someone in your social circle; gossip might be judging people, even if you think they deserve it (see: number 1 above).
When you participate in gossip, you are being a bully and no matter how much you wish to defend yourself against charges of unkindness by saying, “But this person deserves it!” you are still being unkind. Because here’s a thing: You don’t get to decide what that person deserves. If your instinct is to spread harmful rumors or sensitive personal information about them, then what does that say about your character?
There really isn’t any way for this kind of behavior not to reflect poorly on who you are as a human being. And if someone else shares such information with you? Do the right thing here and discourage them from continuing their behavior by refusing to listen and/or participating in spreading those rumors any further.
8. Practice Patience
Avoid getting angry or frustrated during casual conversations, especially if they’re not going well or are stuck at a standstill (especially important in situations where you don’t know the other person very well). Resist being overbearing in how much attention you pay to the other person, avoid staring them down, leaning too far into their personal space, etc.
This one might seem like an obvious no-brainer, but it really is key to staying calm during any kind of conflict situation. If you start off being patient with the other person and waiting for them to calm down before talking about whatever issue there was between the two of you, then eventually that person will see that you’re willing to wait for them before asking for what needs to happen next and maybe even apologize for getting upset in the first place!
9. Learn The Art Of Asking Questions
One of the most effective ways to show interest in others is by asking good questions. You may not be a mind reader, and you can’t possibly know everything that’s going on in other people’s heads. So ask! Sometimes, all it takes is one thoughtful question to make a strong connection with another person.
Additionally, developing your ability to ask great questions will help you (a) be able to get better information from others and (b) have more interesting conversations. There are several types of great questions:
Open-ended: Open-ended questions allow the other person to respond freely and often at length about whatever they want. These are usually preferable when you’re trying to get an idea of what someone knows about a topic or what they think about something.
Probing: Probing questions dive deeper into topics by asking for specifics and reasons behind the answer given. If, for example, someone has shared their opinion about how terrible the political situation in Washington D.C. is, follow up with a probing question like “What do you think we should do about it?” or “How would you change things if you were in office?”
Rhetorical: Rhetorical questions cannot be answered directly because they are used simply as thought-proving devices rather than actual inquiries requiring responses (i.e., Why bother even trying?).
Summary: Summary questions help ensure that everyone involved in a conversation has made similar conclusions or reached similar understandings based on what was said during that discussion (i.e.How does this new development affect our product launch?).
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10. Keep An Open Mind
All of us tend to think we are right about everything. However, the secret to a good relationship lies in being open to learning something new. Having an open mind means that you can get others’ perspectives and points of view on a topic. We all have blind spots and areas where we could improve, and keeping an open mind helps you reach your goals more effectively than having a closed one.
So what happens when you have a closed mind? You will be closed off to everyone else’s opinions and ideas, even if they may be great ones! When it comes to reaching your goals, go with whatever works best for everyone involved, whether the solution is yours or someone else’s. A great way to keep an open mind is by remembering the other person’s perspective a technique that will help you communicate more effectively with those around you
11. Establish Boundaries
Lastly, we wanted to touch on the importance of boundaries in communication. You don’t need us to tell you how important it is to set and enforce boundaries, but just in case: it’s very important. A boundary is something that defines where one person ends and another person begins.
Let’s say you’re at a party and someone keeps bumping into your back while talking over your shoulder. The space between that person and yourself is the boundary. Boundaries can be physical (you don’t want anyone touching your stuff or coming into your room), emotional (you want people to remain respectful during conversations with you), or even spiritual (if you like praying each morning before work, you’ll put up a boundary if others try to interrupt you).
In an office setting, for example, the HR department has boundaries around what information they can share about employees. They have an obligation not only to keep that information confidential but also create a clear understanding with employees about what will be kept private and what won’t be.
12. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Clarification (Or Apologize For Misunderstanding)
Nobody likes to feel like a dummy. When you don’t understand something, it’s easy to feel frustrated, embarrassed or inadequate. But if you can overcome those feelings and ask for clarification, you’ll be better able to communicate with others and get back on the same page.
This is one of the communication etiquette tips that becomes doubly important when you’re communicating across cultures. We all remember how frustrating it is when someone just pretends to understand us rather than asking for clarification. If you think that you might have misunderstood something, apologize before proceeding further (this makes sure that the other person has a chance to clear up any confusion).
If they say yes, then go ahead and explain your interpretation. If they say no, then hear them out before deciding what to do next. Sometimes we mishear things or misunderstand something without meaning to. And sometimes we actually have misunderstood something and need to take steps accordingly.
Non-verbal communication plays a crucial role in conveying messages accurately. Discover the 12 principles that govern good non-verbal communication and improve your overall communication skills by referring to our comprehensive guide on 12 principles of good communication for non-verbal communication.
13. Never Assume All Of Your Messages Are Being Read
Never assume all of your messages are being read. This is especially true when it comes to email, which is often treated more like a bulletin board. When you have something important to say, asking for a response or action from the recipient is always recommended.
If you don’t receive a response, you can always choose to follow up with something like: “Just wanted to make sure you saw my last email and that I could help answer any questions or concerns you may have had.” You might also try: “I just wanted to send one more reminder about X so we can get it done before our deadline on Tuesday at noon!”
Final Thoughts
It’s not rocket science, but it’s probably worth putting in the effort to mind your manners and be polite. And while there are endless facets of communication etiquette to consider as you go through life, this article has outlined a few key points that will hopefully help you avoid some costly blunders along the way.
If you’re a manager or business leader, remember that communication etiquette is an important part of developing a healthy corporate culture so prioritize good etiquette with your team and have some fun with it. (Polite games! Manners-themed office gifs!) If it helps, just think about what Samuel Johnson said: “The true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good.”
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on communication etiquette:
Etiquette at Work: Explore this comprehensive guide from Indeed’s career advice section to learn about workplace etiquette and how it can contribute to your professional success.
Manners Matter: 13 Etiquette Tips: Check out this insightful article by Rachelle Gardner that offers 13 practical etiquette tips to help you navigate social and professional situations with grace.
Common Courtesy Rules: Southern Living presents a collection of common courtesy rules that can enhance your interpersonal relationships and interactions, both in personal and professional settings.
People Also Ask
What Is The Etiquette For Phone Calls?
When you’re on the phone, always greet people in a friendly, polite way. You can say something like “Thanks for calling!” or “Hi there! How can I help you?” This lets the person know that they called the right number and that someone will be able to answer their questions.
How Do You Communicate Effectively With Others?
There are a few simple things you can do to make sure your message is heard loud and clear. For one thing, it’s important to stay calm and level-headed when speaking with others. If someone says something you don’t agree with or makes a comment about your work that you don’t find constructive, try not to get defensive. Instead of taking it personally, focus on what they’re saying so that you can hear them out fully before responding in kind.
What’s The Best Way To Ask Someone To Do Something?
The best way to ask someone to do something is to ask them to do it. It might sound silly, but you’d be surprised how often people are unclear about what they want from another person. If you don’t have a clear idea of what your task is, you can easily waste both your time and the recipient’s time by having a conversation that doesn’t get anywhere. If you need help coming up with how to make an effective ask, try reading these other tips on asking for what you want.
How Can I Make Sure That My Communication Is Clear?
The best way to make sure your communication is clear is to avoid jargon and use words that are as simple as possible. If you want someone else to understand what you’re saying, help them out by being straightforward and avoiding confusing language. But if they still don’t seem to understand, try asking: “Is there anything in my message that isn’t clear?” This is a great way to check in with the other person and keep the lines of communication open.
What’s The Best Way To Approach Someone Who Is Having A Bad Day?
One of the most important things you can do for someone you’re close to is listen. It’s hard for people to open up, and sometimes it feels like all we want is someone to hear us out. So sit down, clear your schedule, make a cup of tea or coffee, and just let them talk. It will be appreciated more than you might realize.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
