If 2020 was adapting to the webcam, 2021 is about quality, finesse, and credibility. As we transition to a different kind of environment where some of our team members are in the office some of the time, becoming conscious of communication between teams and individuals becomes even more important.
Keeping people emotionally connected to each other and the purpose and mission of the business is yet another challenge within flexible working conditions.
Then there’s those technical concerns. For example, in hybrid meetings, we’ll regularly facilitate meetings where some people might be in the meeting room, and others connected remotely via teams or zoom. Whatever the circumstances, communicating with impact and credibility plays an increasingly important part of engagement.
When giving feedback, consistency and congruence build credibility. So, Ii our online communication feels very different from in person communication we could lose that authenticity that is so critical for building trust.
According to research by Censuswide:
- 87% of employees have had a bad experience giving a presentation
- 77% of employees must present their ideas as part of their job
- Only 23% of respondents had received any communication skills training
- 26% of UK Companies have lost a potential customer because of a poor communication
It is not surprising then, that in research carried out by LinkedIn, business leaders ranked the ability to communicate with credibility at #2 in skills most companies need in 2020.
So, here are some top tips for communicating with impact and credibility either in person or online.
- Organise your thoughts so there is sequence and order that is easy to follow. Plan what you want to say and how we want it to come across.
- Learn to communicate with confidence and credibility, this makes us more believable.
- Speak with passion and enthusiasm that shows your expertise in your subject. Passion is highly infectious and builds credibility.
- Be engaging when you speak to keep people engaged. Make good eye contact and don’t speak at
- Deal effectively with challenging question-and-answer sessions by staying calm and sticking to the subject where you have expertise. Don’t make things up on the fly and risk undermining credibility.
- Keep things simple to ensure understanding.
- Know your audience and make sure your communication is relevant. This is especially important when communicating at senior level.
- Practice emotional self-control so that we remain calm under pressure
- Learn to use voice and body language to create greater impact
And here’s the key. All the above also apply online.
To learn more on this subject you can download our range of resources for free:
How to Provide Feedback without Insulting Your Workers
Assessment on Communicating with Diplomacy and Tact
Mark Fitzmaurice is a Dale Carnegie Director and Digital Master Trainer. He specialises in improving the quality of leadership and sales in a hybrid environment.