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Communication is the foundation of all relationships. Regardless of the mode of communication, trying to communicate clearly is essential. Good communication is simple in concept but exceedingly difficult in practice. The simple part is to say what you mean as concisely and directly as possible. The hard part is making sure what you say is truly concise, direct and understood as you intended. This article is intended to help you communicate a workplace challenge with an employee.

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  1. Communicate a Workplace Problem with Your Employee Step 1.jpg
    1
    Use these two general principles to guide your communications with your employees:
    • Think like the person you’re communicating with; and
    • Speak in terms the other person will understand without hesitation or thinking.
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  2. Communicate a Workplace Problem with Your Employee Step 2.jpg
    2
    Avoid accusing your employees or saddling them with blame for work systems. If you write an email to an employee who is responsible for a process that isn't working quite the way you expected it to, avoid writing something like "your process doesn't work and is failing at this step". If you were the employee, you might start to think that your boss thinks it's your fault or that you failed because you said "your" and "failing". It doesn't matter who's at fault - what you need to care about is the solution. The word "you" or "your" is too personal and can easily create unnecessary stress or tension.
  3. Communicate a Workplace Problem with Your Employee Step 3.jpg
    3
    Change your phrasing to say "a step in the process is not working as expected". By being objective, not subjective or accusatory, you reduce the risk of miscommunication or causing your employee stress and tension. You'll find your employee will quickly fix the problem without a hint of tension.
  4. Communicate a Workplace Problem with Your Employee Step 4.jpg
    4
    Have faith in the simplicity of this approach. Perhaps this seems oversimplified. Who has the time to realize that an innocent word like "you" can cause tension, stress and become the subtle basis for future miscommunication? Actually, the question that should be asked is who has time for unnecessary tension, stress and future miscommunication? Think like the employee you are communicating with and choose words that don't create hesitation. Then you will be recognizing potential risks with your approach and giving yourself a chance to change them for more effective communication.
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Categories: Boss and Colleague Interaction | Management Skills

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