Communication Skills: Speak the Right Language at Work

Communication skills decide whether your message lands: are you able to get your message across to people, be it verbal or written or do you find that sometimes it is a struggle? Without effective communication, a message can turn into an error or misunderstanding and can be really frustrating. Ultimately, if we don’t commit to continually improving our communication skills, it can even lead to relationship break ups.

In business when budgets, forecasts, reputations and other important goals are at stake, it is imperative that we give attention to some type of ongoing communication training, to avoid sabotaging our own success.

Communication Skills That Carry Meaning

When you are misinterpreted it can be provoking. Communication skills have to be acquired, honed and developed regularly on an on going basis. Oral communication particularly has to be fine tuned, whether you run a business or just want successful personal relationships.

The other day I was speaking to a colleague and all of a sudden he bit my head off. My first gut instinct was to bite back and hard, as it seemed way out of context and aggressive. Luckily for me I have spent a large part of my professional career learning and teaching the value of communicating well. I was able to rely on my training and not my emotions, which made it relatively easy to formulate a response diffusing the heat of the moment. I realized the simple problem was that I was not speaking his language.

For example, imagine going to a foreign country that did not speak any English and only using English to try and communicate. I am sure it doesn’t take long to work out you are not going to get very far in making any connection or understanding. In this situation with my colleague, as he spoke a different language to me, I was able to use some simple techniques to realize and understand his frustration. By adjusting my communication response I was able to speak his language and navigate our discussion to a greater degree of understanding and acceptance.

So I guess the next logical question could be; “That’s great David, but how do you do that?”

Well here is a simple strategy you can use next time you’re finding it difficult to communicate with someone…

Most communication can be grouped into 3 language types:

1. Assertive or non-assertive
2. Task or People Focused
3. Detail or Bottom Line

These 3 simple distinctions are not absolute but do make it easier to understand what someone’s communication language preferences are. For example, it is easy to tell whether someone is task or people focused by how they frame the conversation. If they are task focused they generally don’t like to spend too much time building rapport.

The same goes if someone is assertive, they talk a lot as opposed to being more introverted or non-assertive. If they are detailed they want to get into the ins and outs of everything and if they are bottom line, they just want you to get straight to the point.

Following are some simple strategies you can use to help you speak the language of the person you are communicating to;

Assertive: Facilitate by asking questions to direct and steer the conversation.
Non-Assertive: Fish and ask more probing questions to gain more information.
Task: Keep the rapport building to a minimum and talk more about process and facts in your responses.
People: Allow for their emotional response more in the conversation and ensure that you use more empathy in the response.
Detail: Make sure you are logical and detailed in your response.
Bottom Line: Don’t muck around or waffle, just get to the point.

So there you have it, some very simple strategies to help you the next time you are struggling to communicate with someone. Remember that committing to ongoing communication training and speaking the language of the other party are two important parts of relational success. This essentially means that you must listen to their native tongue before you respond.t you must listen to their native tongue before you respond.

Communication Skills Checklist for Work Talks

Open with the outcome in one sentence, then give two supporting facts. Pause after key points so listeners absorb them. Close by naming the decision needed and its deadline. This shape keeps talks tight and useful.

For writing, lead with the request, keep paragraphs under four lines, and bold the deadline. Reread once for tone before sending, and confirm the subject line states the needed action clearly. Clear communication skills in writing prevent most follow-up confusion.

Who Improves Fastest

New graduates and career changers gain quickest, since small fixes remove big misunderstandings before performance reviews. Managers preparing difficult reviews and client presentations benefit next, followed by anyone leading standup meetings. Verdict: rehearse one talk weekly and steady communication skills growth follows.

Listening Habits That Build Trust

Repeat back the key point before replying, ask one clarifying question per discussion, and confirm deadlines aloud. Take brief notes visibly during reviews and one-on-ones so colleagues feel genuinely heard. People share earlier warnings with listeners they trust, which prevents small issues from growing.

Watch nonverbal signals in meetings: crossed arms, silence after proposals, and rushed agreements all carry meaning. Name what you notice kindly, invite correction openly, and adjust the agenda when energy drops. Teams that read the room well decide faster, escalate less often, and keep morale steady through difficult quarters.

Related guides: communication skills for every role and more career paths. For official outlook data, see Bureau of Labor Statistics Outlook.