Three poor communication habits every manager should get rid of

Effective communication leads to establishing good relationships, and good relationships with people then make for effective leadership. The ability to communicate properly is important for success not only when managing people but also in everyday life generally, which is why we should try to improve our ability to talk to others both as managers and simply as people. Here are three bad habits you should get rid of immediately and thus improve the quality of how you communicate with your team as well as everyone else around you.

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Too much expertise

Specialist words, technical terms and little-used phrases are often chosen by people who want to sound like experts. But the truth is that the best professionals are, on the contrary, able to explain a complex issue in a simple way, and people tend to listen more to someone who speaks the language they are used to. Do not try to use jargon; instead, adjust your way of speaking to the person you are talking to. Take into account their education, social status and overall manner of expression.

Filler words

According to Forbes, filler words are one of the most common and also most annoying problems of verbal communication. Avoid such words as "simply", "like" or "uh". Try recording yourself and then listening to where you use those words. The following exercise can also serve as a solution: imagine your speech as a staircase which you are ascending and every step represents one word. Fill each step with precisely one word and beware of using any additional fillers.

Being distant

Hiding behind numbers, being reserved, an inability to project one's personality into one's speech, purely stereotypical representation of the company. These are frequent problems in the way business reps speak. You should be open and allow your personality to show. The personal level of communication is vital to establishing mutual trust between people, so do not underestimate the importance of informal chat with clients.

 

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Article source Forbes.com - prestigious American business magazine and website
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