Improving your communication

Shawnee Love   •  
April 1, 2010

Recently, I read an article by Knapp & Associates regarding improving email communications. Although the blog was directed to IT professionals, the suggestions have applications for all of us in our business dealings. I mean who wouldn’t want to know that their email has been received and will be dealt with before the weekend? Isn’t that why Outlook offers us the opportunity to request a read receipt? Although I don’t really understand the point of a read receipt that the reader can click no to, but I digress.

Knapp goes on to recommend you provide status updates. Imagine a world where your boss or client has given you a project and you give regular updates without being asked. Now imagine getting that promotion or getting a referral because your follow up is so great. Seriously, letting people know where you are at keeps them from wondering and filling in the blanks. And that is good, because anytime you leave someone wondering, the tendency is to assume the worst. If they are assuming the worst about you, your ability to deliver, etc., well I am sure you can see why that isn’t good.

The writer also recommends you explain what you did (an abridged version of course) once you have solved the problem or completed the project. This type of communication is one I implemented in my business when I started. What I do is give each client a final report so they have a summary of what I did, how I did it and why I did it. People love this stuff.  And on your end, it is a great way to showcase your process and results.

And the last piece of advice from the article is to ask if there is anything more you can do. Of course if you ask your boss, you might get more work (which isn’t always a reward), and if you ask your client that, you might get more work (which is a reward). I’ll let you decide on that one.

A good place to start is to think of what you would want to know if you were in the listener’s (or reader’s) shoes and then deliver the message in a concise, timely, clear, and reciprocal fashion.

Something to think about over the long weekend. Hope it is a good one!