5 Tips on How to Effectively Communicate in the Workplace.

1. Don’t beat around the bush

Be clear. First and foremost, make sure your point is conveyed and that your message is easily understood. Use specific language, avoid spewing out too many acronyms. When in doubt, imagine you’re speaking to someone who doesn’t know your company.

2. Listen actively

The better you listen, the better you are at communication. Before you respond, make sure you’ve heard and digested what someone is saying. Don’t just wait for their mouth to stop moving to make your point.

3. Repeat back

This is the second stage of active listening. Let the speaker know first, that you’ve understood them, and second, that you care about what they’ve said. Do this by repeating what they’ve said and including their words in your response. Paraphrase back to them to prove that you’ve heard them loud and clear.

4. Use your body

When in doubt, or if you have something particularly complicated to discuss, try doing it in person. Face to face, you have the extra benefit of body language and non-verbal cues like gestures and facial expressions, all of which make it easier to avoid confusion.

5. Show r-e-s-p-e-c-t

Don’t multi-task while communicating. Don’t be on your phone, or doodling, in the meeting. Make sure what you’ve said is professional and respectful. Make eye contact and use people’s names. Basically, be a human.