17 Questions Good Communicators Can Answer
Easily
Whether you regularly speak in public and write online,
or you mostly express yourself over email, being a good communicator is part of
every single job description.
But how can you really know if it’s
something you’re good at?
Here are 17 questions that can help you identify whether
you’re awesome at communicating—or a bit rusty. (And don’t worry if it’s the
latter, there are simple ways to improve each of these skills.)
1. Do You Have a Message?
People are bombarded with information every day. Make
sure you know what it is you want to communicate—this could be as broad as your
brand or as specific as the main point in one email. (And remember, if you
can’t boil your message down in a sentence, chances are, it’s not clear.)
2. Do You Use Stories?
Stories are a great way to connect with people on an
emotional level—and they make you more memorable. Try and find a story that
reinforces your message.
3. Do You Use Numbers?
If telling a story doesn’t seem quite right, consider
using data. It’s a powerful way to reinforce your message or argument. And
think about different ways to make those statistics
stick in the minds of the people you’re speaking to.
4. Do You Use Active Voice?
Active voice puts you at the center of the action. It’s
clearer—and more impressive. Consider the difference between “The crisis was
solved by me earlier this morning when a solution came to me,” and “I solved
the crisis by coming up with a solution.”
5. Do You Use Jargon?
Let’s be clear: There are some terms that everyone in the
workplace uses to simplify things—like if you refer to certain meetings or
tasks with abbreviations. By all means, keep doing this. However, jargon risks
alienating, or at least annoying, people. So, save “low hanging fruit” for
apple-picking.
6. What About Clichés?
You read that something is “the new black,” “the secret
sauce,” or “one in a million.” Rolling your eyes? That’s what happens when
someone uses a cliché. We’re so used to seeing and hearing these they don’t
have any impact.
7. Are You Very Wordy?
Sure, details and context can be helpful. But if your
emails and presentations are full of extraneous words and facts, your main
points can get lost in the shuffle. Everyone appreciates clear, crisp
communication, so if something you’ve put together feels likes it’s running
long, take the time to see what you might cut.
8. Or, Are You Overly
Brief?
It’s also possible to overcompensate and veer too far to
the other extreme. Particularly if you’re replying to a recruiter, client, or
someone very senior, take the time to write full sentences and include proper
salutations and sign-offs. It’s probably not a good time for a one-word or
one-line response.
9. Do You Consider Overall
Format?
If you’re crafting something comprehensive, you’ll want
to think through how you can make it skimable. Maybe bullet points will work,
or you could give each paragraph a heading? That way readers can scan your
email or thought-leadership post and find the section that’s most relevant to
them. There are loads of different ways to format articles. Numbered lists
(like this one!) often work well. Use blogs and websites you find particularly
easy to navigate as inspiration.
10. Do You Proofread?
If you’ve already spent a lot of time writing something,
it’s tempting to hit publish straight away and be done with it. But you’ll get
a whole new perspective if you let it rest. Time’s always short, but if at all
possible give a draft 24 hours to rest and then re-read it. (Not possible? Even
30 minutes can make a difference.)
11. Do You Ask for
Feedback?
I cringe when I look back at some of the things I’ve
written in the past. My writing’s improved because I’ve had some fantastic
mentors who’ve taken the time to give me feedback. If you want to improve, ask
for feedback from someone whose work you admire.
12. Are You Direct?
Especially if you’re broaching a tricky topic—and it’s
all the more tempting to beat around the bush—your best bet is to
straightforward. Don’t expect people to guess what’s going on in your head. Be
polite, but be clear and honest.
13. Do You Think About
Which Channel to Use?
Should you use a tweet, an email, a phone call, a
Facebook post, a blog or a keynote speech to deliver your message? Your
decision will be based on who you are and whom you’re talking to. For difficult
messages, I always prefer speaking to someone on the phone or face-to-face over
email.
14. Do You Vary Your Style
by Medium?
In the same way that you speak to your colleagues
differently to how you speak to your parents, what’s appropriate on Twitter
might not be OK in an email to your CEO. If you’re unsure whether you’ve got
the tone right, check in with a trusted colleague, before you hit send.
15. Do You Take Time to Get
to Know Who You’re Connecting With?
There’s no point in opening your mouth or putting fingers
to keyboard unless you know a bit about who’s on the other end. Taking the time
to get to know your audience is critical to being a good communicator.
16. Did You Study Up on
What Matters to Him or Her?
Google Alerts are a great way to make sure you’re always
up to date with what’s going on for the people you’re in touch with. Have a
customer who’s obsessed with productivity
hacks? Make sure you’ve got a Google Alert set up
and then you can shoot him the best articles or know you’ll have a conversation
starter the next time you meet up.
17. Do You Keep in Touch on
a Regular Basis?
Truth: It’s a lot less awkward to ask for an invite, an
intro, or a recommendation if you’re not reaching out for the first time in
months (or years) to do it. Once you know who the other person is and what he
or she cares about, keep the connection warm.
And this isn’t just for one-on-one relationships:
Consistent communication through engaging with followers on social media or
through regular blogging or sending out a newsletter reinforces the fact that
you care.
Strong communication skills will help you as you climb the ladder in your
career. So, pat yourself on the back for all of the ones you’ve got down, and
schedule some time to work on any areas for improvement.
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