communication

The Importance of Keeping in Touch

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Connecting_With_Coworkers

When the pandemic started and employees were sent home to work, no one knew what effect this would have on the quality and quantity of work that was produced. But according to a recent survey of 100 executives by McKinsey & Company (conducted between December 2020 and January 2021), it appears that productivity and employee engagement actually increased in most organizations during the pandemic.

The amount that it increased, however, seemed to be directly related to how much employees communicated with each other. The biggest jumps in productivity and engagement occurred in those companies that encouraged colleagues to talk to each other, share ideas, discuss projects, coach each other, and solve problems together.

From Case What Executives Are Saying About the Future of Work by A. Alexander, R. Cracknell, A.D. Smet, M. Langstaff, M. Mysore, and D. Rand, 2021, McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/what-executives-are-saying-about-the-future-of-hybrid-work

So communication is important. It was important when most employees were working from home, and it’s still important now, with many employees splitting their time between working in the office and working from home. Managers and employees should make an effort to maintain a high level of communication. It’s essential for an effective, productive work environment.

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Alexander, A., Cracknell, R., Smet, A. D., Langstaff, M., Mysore, M., & Ravid, D. (2021). What executives are saying about the future of work. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/what-executives-are-saying-about-the-future-of-hybrid-work

What to Say to a Coworker Who’s Upset

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Comforting_Coworker

It’s sometimes really hard to know what to say to a coworker who is obviously upset about something. You want to help that person to feel better, but you might also be afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Author Deborah Grayson Riegel recommends that you avoid telling the person how they should be feeling. For instance, it may not be helpful to tell your coworker to “stop worrying” or “cheer up” (or, worst of all, “get over it”). 

Also, it’s generally not a good idea to offer advice unless your coworker specifically asks for it. Most people don’t want to be told what to do.

It’s much more effective to simply ask your coworker to tell you how they’re feeling, and then to really listen to what they have to say. Here are a few examples:

  • “You seem upset. Tell me what’s bothering you.”
  • “I can tell that you’re concerned about the situation. What’s worrying you most?”
  • “I know you’re still feeling angry/sad about what happened. What do you think would help you to start feeling better?”

Listen while they talk about their problems and feelings. Be sympathetic. Tell them that they are strong and resilient. And tell them that you’ll be there to support them when they need it.

If they get annoyed, don’t get offended. Just tell them that you’re sorry that they’re having a hard time, and remind them that you’re there for them. Then end the conversation. They’ll know that they have your support, and that’s a powerful thing.

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Riegel, D. G. (2019, April 1). How to talk with a coworker who’s having a rough time. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2019/04/how-to-talk-with-a-coworker-whos-having-a-tough-time

Four Things That Will Cause Your Coworkers to Question Whether You’re Actually Good at Your Job

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Confused_Coworker

You work hard at your job. You want to be productive and effective. And in order to be productive and effective, it’s important for your manager and coworkers to have confidence in your work, and trust you to get it done right.

But according to author John Brandon, there are four mistakes that you can make that can shake your coworkers’ trust and make you lose credibility. Here’s a list of those mistakes with tips on how to avoid making them:

  1. Brag about your successes (constantly) – First, you should know that it’s perfectly OK (and even advisable) to tell your manager about all of the good things that you’ve accomplished. It’s important that your manager knows about the great work you do! But it’s probably not necessary to tell your coworkers about it all the time. Constant bragging could cause them to view you negatively, and they may start to question whether you’re really as great as you say you are. So make sure your manager knows about the projects you’ve completed and the good feedback you’ve received. That’s crucial! But you probably don’t need to mention it every time you talk to your coworkers.
  2. Criticize other people – If you often criticize certain coworkers, it will reflect badly on you. It will make people start to wonder whether you’re also criticizing them when they’re not around. Your coworkers will lose trust in you and may not want to collaborate with you in the future. So try to be kind – even when you’re feeling frustrated.
  3. Don’t tell the whole truth – If you tend to bend the truth just a bit to make yourself look a little better, you should stop. It’s a bad habit to get into. Even if you’ve gotten away with it in the past, eventually someone is going to realize that you’re not being entirely honest. And at that point, you’ll lose your credibility. So be truthful, even when it’s hard or scary. Your coworkers will appreciate your honesty and respect you for it.
  4. Yell at your coworkers – Some people lash out when they lose their tempers. They might yell at their coworkers or make a harsh, cutting remark. If that sounds like you, you should try to control your anger. Lashing out at others never makes a situation better. It only makes other people view you in a negative light. So the next time you get frustrated, take a deep breath and remain calm. Be civil and polite, no matter how annoyed you might be feeling.

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Brandon, J. (2021, June 4). 4 ways to completely destroy your credibility at work. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/373714

How to Ask a Team Member to Do Something

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Happy_Email

If you’re a manager, it may be common practice for you to email one of your team members and say “I need you to do this task/project.” But according to author Monica Torres, this isn’t the best approach. When you say “I need you to do this task,” it can come across as abrupt. In addition, you’re not allowing the other person to offer opinions or suggestions. You’re basically saying “just do it,” and you’re not giving the other person the opportunity to provide feedback.

And feedback is actually a very valuable thing! Yes, you need a certain task to be completed. But if you’re open to feedback, you might learn that there’s a better, more effective approach to getting the work done.

So what should you say instead? Here are two options:

  • “I’d like you to do this task/project. What do you think?”
  • “Here is the situation/problem that needs to be addressed. What do you think we should do? Can you help with this?”

According to Torres, these statements will make your team members feel respected. They’ll realize that their opinions matter, and they’ll be encouraged to share whatever helpful information they might have. In addition, they’ll feel free to ask questions and get clarification about what needs to be done.

Also, make sure to tell your team members why something needs to be done and when it needs to be completed. This will help them to feel included in the effort and allow them to prioritize their tasks appropriately.

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Torres, M. (2021, February 19). Why you shouldn’t say ‘I need you to… ‘ at work. HuffPost. Retrieved from: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/i-need-you-to-at-work_l_6026d622c5b6591becd88f13

How to Tell a Coworker That Their Idea Is Terrible

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Reacting_to_Bad_Idea

Have you ever had a coworker come to you with an idea that they think is wonderful and amazing – and you absolutely hate it? What should you say to your excited coworker? How can you tell them that their idea is trash without coming across as short-sighted and mean?

Well, if you’ve ever been in this awkward situation and been unsure of what to do, author Kathryn Vasel is here to help. There is a way to get your message across without discouraging or upsetting your coworker. Just follow these steps:

  • Keep an open mind – When your coworker is telling you about their idea, try to keep an open mind. Even if your immediate reaction is negative, try to put that aside and really listen to what your coworker has to say. Yes, there may be certain things about the idea that you don’t like. But there might be some good elements in there too.
  • Ask a few questions – Get your coworker to think critically about their idea by asking a few questions, such as “Do you think we have the time and resources to put this project together?” or “Do you think the client would be satisfied with this approach?” Get your coworker to see the weaknesses in their idea so they’ll be able to reshape it into something more effective and doable.
  • Be honest – Even if you hate an idea, you can still say that it’s “interesting.” (It’s a better adjective than “terrible.”) But you should also be honest about your concerns. Tell your coworker that you think the idea has some shortcomings, and then clearly explain what they are.
  • Get a second opinion – Ask yourself if the reason why you don’t like the idea is because you’re afraid to try something new. If you’re not sure whether the idea is truly bad, or whether you don’t like it because you’re wary of change, don’t give your coworker immediate feedback. Instead, ask for a second opinion. Talk to another coworker and see what they think. It can often be really helpful to get another person’s perspective.

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Vasel, K. (2019, October 15). How to tell a colleague you hate their idea without crushing their spirit. CNN Business. Retrieved from: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/15/success/work-colleague-bad-idea

The Benefits of Having Both Optimists and Pessimists on Your Team

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Friendly_and_Grumpy_Cats

Optimists are positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic. Pessimists are realistic, cautious, and somewhat negative. Optimists are full of ideas. Pessimists tend to oppose new ideas because they focus on all of the bad things that could happen if those ideas were put into practice. Thus, this can sometimes lead to conflict at work.

On a team composed of optimists and pessimists, the optimists might feel angry and discouraged that the pessimists are always shooting holes in their ideas and preventing them from moving forward. The pessimists might feel annoyed that the optimists are always presenting unrealistic, underdeveloped ideas, and forcing them into the role of “the bad guy.” Both groups might secretly wish that they could work in teams in which everyone was like them – all optimists or all pessimists. But according to author Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, this would be bad for the organization.

  • In a group with all optimists, it’s likely that everyone would enthusiastically embrace new ideas without fully thinking through all of the possible ramifications. A phenomenon known as “groupthink” may also come into play. This is when bad decisions are made because the group members want to be positive and cohesive, and don’t want to voice a dissenting opinion.
  • In a group with all pessimists, it’s likely that not a lot of new ideas will be generated, because everyone will be too focused on the negatives. As a result, not a lot of progress will be made and necessary changes will not occur.

Tsipursky believes that the best teams include a mix of people. It’s important to have optimists who are enthusiastically generating ideas, as well as pessimists who play the role of the “devil’s advocate” and point out the flaws in those ideas. This is the only way that a team can develop a truly effective approach.

And according to Tsipursky, you can avoid conflict if everyone on the team has the right mindset. The optimists must understand that they’re needed to generate exciting new ideas – but that every idea needs to be developed and refined. And the pessimists need to know that they’re also essential, because it’s their job to take the ideas and shape them into something viable and effective.

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Tsipursky, G. (n.d.) How optimists and pessimists can get along. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/348115

How to Be Honest

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Be_Honest

I think that honesty is always the best policy at work. If a project isn’t going well, I tell my manager about it. If I make a mistake, I own up to it. But I do sometimes struggle with being honest when I know that my message is going to hurt a coworker’s feelings. Should you really “tell it like it is” when you know you’re going to upset someone else? Or is it better to soften your message or just not mention it?

If you’ve also struggled with this issue, you’re not alone. A survey by Fierce Inc. revealed that 80% of workers aren’t always honest because they’re fearful of hurting a coworker’s feelings. But author Taryn Oesch believes that you should be honest, even about difficult subjects.

Oesch argues that if you’re not honest with other people, then the problems that exist are going to continue and possibly escalate. And the coworker that you’re trying to protect could end up in an even worse situation. Being honest about the problems will likely benefit your coworker (and the company) in the long run.

So Oesch believes that you you should and can be honest. You just need to follow these steps:

  • Be candid AND kind – You need to be honest but also kind. Don’t deliver your message angrily or aggressively. Be honest, but also listen to what your coworker has to say, and show empathy. If changes need to be made, offer to help your coworker if you can.    
  • Provide feedback the right way – Begin by focusing on the good things that your colleague is doing. Then talk about the specific behaviors that have been causing a problem. Be clear and honest, but don’t dwell on these issues. Instead, focus on the future, and how a few changes could make things better moving forward.
  • Establish a baseline of trust – Try to form trusting relationships with your colleagues. Be honest with them about your own struggles at work. If you like and trust each other, it will be much easier to provide honest feedback.
  • Be open to receiving feedback from others – If you’re going to be honest with your coworkers about the problems that exist, you have to also be open to receiving feedback from them. Don’t get defensive or angry. Listen to their message, consider it carefully, and attempt to make positive changes in the future.

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Oesch, T. (2019, July 23). Tiptoeing isn’t nice: 5 tips to be both kind and candid. Training Industry. Retrieved from: https://trainingindustry.com/articles/leadership/tiptoeing-isnt-nice-5-tips-to-be-both-kind-and-candid/

How to Be Charismatic on a Videoconference Call

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Charisma_Conference_Call

Videoconference calls can be kind of awkward. People often talk over each other. It’s difficult to see people’s expressions clearly. It can be challenging to interact and communicate.

As a result, even though you might be very charming in person, that may not come across during a videoconference call. A videoconference call is very different from a face-to-face meeting. On video, your charisma might not shine through.

But don’t despair! According to author Ray Smith, this is a skill that you can learn. There are things that you can do to make yourself more charismatic during videoconference calls. Just follow these simple steps:

  • Focus on your face – Make sure that your camera is zoomed in on your face. Ideally, your face should take up about a third of your screen. And you should make sure to have good lighting. You want the other participants to be able to see your facial expressions easily.
  • Nod and smile – During your meeting, try to nod encouragingly while others are speaking. It’s also a good idea to smile warmly at the other participants – and give a serious grin if someone cracks a joke. Nodding and smiling is really appealing behavior. It demonstrates that you’re listening closely, you’re interested in what other people are saying, and you’re fully engaged in the meeting.
  • Speak slowly and clearly – When you’re expressing your ideas, you should speak clearly and deliberately, and vary your pitch so you don’t sound like a robot. And remember to pause between thoughts. It will make your voice sound more charismatic and compelling to the other people attending the meeting.
  • Try to make eye contact – On a videoconference call, making eye contact is easier said than done!  But if you look into your camera while you speak, it will look like you’re making eye contact with the meeting participants. And this will make you seem more appealing and charismatic to your audience.
  • Give other people the chance to talk – Being charismatic involves more than just speaking well. It also involves giving other people the opportunity to talk, and then really listening to what they have to say. After you’re done speaking, ask other group members if they have anything that they’d like to share.

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Smith, R. A. (2020, November 30). How to boost your e-charisma. The Wall Street Journal, p. A11.

How to End Your Emails

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Writing_an_Email

You probably send a lot of emails over the course of your workday. And you probably have a standard “closer” – the word or phrase that you include at the end of the email, right before your name. It might be something like “best” or “thanks” or “sincerely.”

My standard closer is “thanks” or “thanks very much.” It just seems friendly and polite to me. To be honest, I’ve never really given it much thought. But according to author Monica Torres, I should give it some thought. Apparently, email closers have more of an impact than one might think (and “thanks” might actually have negative connotations).

Here’s a list of common work email closers, and Torres’s assessment of each:

  • Best – This is always a safe bet. If you’re not sure how to end your email, go with “Best” or “Best wishes.” It’s kind of bland, but it’s also pleasant and professional. You definitely won’t offend anyone with this closer. It’s an especially good choice if you’re emailing someone you don’t know.
  • Sincerely – This is very formal. It’s a good choice if you’re applying for a job. But it can be a little off-putting if you’re emailing someone you know, like a coworker. And if you’ve always used more informal closers with someone (like “Best”) and then you suddenly switch to “Sincerely,” this could send a very negative message. The person might wonder why you’re suddenly being so cold, and what he or she might have done to anger you. So in the right situation, “Sincerely” can be perfectly appropriate, but use it with caution.
  • Thanks – If you really need to get a response to your email, end it with “Thanks” or “Thanks very much.” One study found that people are more likely to respond to emails that end with this closer. But be careful! If you ask someone for a favor, and then end your email with “Thanks” or “Thanks in advance,” you run the risk of coming across as coercive and presumptuous.  
  • Cheers – Closers like “Cheers” or “Warmly” are great if you’re emailing family or close friends. But they’re generally too informal for work emails. So you should probably save them for your personal emails and choose a different option when you’re corresponding with coworkers.

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Torres, M. (2019, April 1). This is the best way to end a work email, according to etiquette experts. HuffPost. Retrieved from: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/work-email-closing-thanks-best-sincerely_l_5c9cdfe1e4b07c8866324ebd

The Most Annoying Things You Can Write in an Email

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Annoying_Email

In 2018, Adobe conducted an interesting survey. They asked 1,001 people what they thought were the most annoying phrases used in work emails. Here are the results:

  • “Not sure if you saw my last email” – 25%
  • “Per my last email…” – 13%
  • “Per our conversation…” – 11%
  • “Any update on this?” – 11%
  • “Sorry for the double email” – 10%
  • “Please advise” – 9%
  • “As previously stated…” – 9%
  • “As discussed…” – 6%
  • “Re-attaching for convenience” – 6%

Most of these phrases aren’t just annoying. They’re passive-aggressive. (Especially the top four phrases.) They convey anger. And they can cause friction to develop between coworkers.  

If you ever feel tempted to use phrases like these, stop yourself. I know you might be feeling frustrated, and you want to get your work done. But it’s also important to maintain a good, solid working relationship with your colleagues. So instead of using these types of phrases, try taking a friendlier approach. Author Avery Blank suggests you do the following:

  • Restate the issue – Instead of writing something like “per my last email,” just restate your question. Don’t even refer to the fact that you’ve emailed about it before.
  • Add some valuable information – After restating your question, add a few additional pieces of information. This will serve as a justification for emailing a second time. And your coworker will benefit from being updated and fully informed!
  • Give your coworker a call – If you still don’t get a response, pick up the phone and give your coworker a call. You’ll get the information you need, and you’ll also have the chance to connect with your coworker. Not only will you be getting your work done, you’ll also have the opportunity to build and strengthen your relationship.

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Blank, A. (2018, September 4). 9 passive aggressive phrases to avoid in email (and what to do instead). Forbes. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/averyblank/2018/09/04/9-passive-aggressive-phrases-to-avoid-in-email-and-what-to-do-instead/#36655f36126a

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