3 keys to resolving the biggest problem in the workplace

There's no crying in baseball.

At least that's what Jimmy Dugan believed, coach of the Rockford Peaches women's baseball team, a role played by Tom Hanks in the classic film "A League of Their Own." The erstwhile pro contended, with rather colorful language, that tears communicated the wrong message.

It's this communication – or the lack thereof – that's the biggest problem plaguing the workplace, according to experts.

When communication breaks down, signs get crossed and opportunities are lost. This is particularly evident among job seekers. For example, a professionally looking resume is often the first point of contact for employers looking to fill an open role or a new position. However, nearly 80 percent of respondents in a recent CareerBuilder poll cited something as simple as a typo or bad grammar as an "instant dealbreaker" to a candidate's hiring.

The reason? It sent the wrong message, one that suggested workers lacked attention to detail or silly mistakes.

Crying viewed and received differently
While crying at work certainly isn't cause for dismissal or hireability, it nonetheless sends mixed messages, or so it seems. In a poll done by Accountemps, 32 percent of workers said crying was never OK because it could come off as weakness or immaturity. Twenty-six percent of business owners agreed.

Conversely, 38 percent of workers in the poll thought crying was fine, so long as it didn't happen all the time. Forty-four percent of CFOs felt the same way.

Because there are so many ways in which to interact, not to mention how these signals are interpreted, it's little wonder communication is such a problem in professional settings.

Ryan Avery, a strategic communications expert and Forbes contributor, says there's proof, having run the data and tested his theory. In a survey of approximately 1,100 employees, over one-third of respondents said communication was the most important skill to have in today's business world – well ahead of leadership, the second-most common response (17 percent).

Additionally, Avery noted that in instances where respondents weren't clear about their jobs or an assignment, it led to decreased productivity, a sentiment shared by 71 percent of respondents.

So, how do you improve communication in the workplace? Here are a few tips:

1. Use the means that works
Face-to-face, text message, by phone – there's no shortage of ways to connect with your workers. Talk to them about what method they prefer the most. Interestingly, even though text messaging is as common as ever, emails are the most preferred in terms of convenience, according to a recent poll done by Robert Half Technology. It was second only to face-to-face for effectiveness in planning and strategizing.

2. Earnestly ask for questions
If you're in a meeting when a lot of information is presented, that can be a lot to take in all at once. When you're through, be sure to ask for questions to address any points of confusion. Some people may be hesitant to ask, fearful of looking silly. Emphasize the point that there's no such thing as a bad question.

3. Seek help from the experts
People specialize in enhancing communication. Whether it's done over the phone, by email or in in-person settings, each entail different cues and signals in order to ensure a message gets heard loud and clear. Avery suggested investing in a communication trainer who can provide tips. He also recommended performing a company-wide audit to see what streams needs fixing, which can be used in the development of training and identifying solutions. 

When your business needs legal services, such as resolving contract disputes, it's fair to say a breakdown in communication lead to the problem. At Hudspeth Law Firm, we'll not only help you settle these disputes but identify what precipitated it. The business of our firm is business, and we specialize in helping you retrace your steps so you can see where things went wrong.

Categorised in: Contracts & Transactions, Dissolution & Partnership Disputes, Starting a Business in Arizona

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