Here are four pointers for improving communication in the workplace.

1. As a manager, the best way to find out if your communication style is working is to straight out ask. Ask workers which one or two things, if improved, would create dramatic results in the department. If you are a business leader who gives presentations, listen carefully to the questions asked by the audience members afterwards, and ask them outright or via survey how they perceive your communication efforts.

2. Once you reach out to find out what is important to workers, what their needs are, their working style, etc., then you can shape your communications more effectively, especially when dealing with different generations, like the Millenial generation who are accustomed to communicating via text msgs, vs communicating directly with others.

3. In a typical work week, managers communicate many different things, including performance evaluations, and it is easy for their message to get lost in information overload. Just because you communicate your message doesn't mean everyone heard and understood it. This is a common communication mistake. Be sure that everyone understood the message you were conveying.

4. When communicating one-on-one, be sure to have an outcome in mind and drive the discussion to reach that outcome.

Whatever communication method you choose, be sure to treat workers with respect and have their best interest in mind.