Good communication is underrated. So much of the working day is spent talking through ways other than face-to-face, but not enough emphasis is put on quality of communication. Messages can be misunderstood and feedback can be taken in the wrong way. 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures. Our next feedback goal deals with the important nuances of the workplace. We continue our feedback goals series with communication.

Open Channels
By sending an iRevü with a Communication goal attached, two birds are killed with one stone. Lines of communication between manager and employee are opened merely by the fact that an iRevü is sent and second, the employee is meant to understand that communication is currently an issue that the manager is willing to work with him or her to solve.

Employee: “It’s hard to tell exactly what is going through my manager’s mind day-in and day-out. Being new, and having a manager more on the introverted side, it has taken some time to learn what a good job looks like in his eyes. An iRevü clears up any miscommunication between us.”

Manager: “When I select communication as the focus for an iRevü, it can open doors for my employees to tell me what I might be doing wrong when I communicate with them. In one instance, what I thought was an issue on the part of my employee ended up being a great learning experience for me. Communication takes many forms and learning those of my employees is just as important for achieving peak productivity and engagement.”

The Simple Things
Employee: “I like to believe my quality of communication skills is a key reason why projects run smoothly. However, I feel it is overlooked when it comes to evaluating the end project. When I receive a communication iRevü, I know the extra time I took to explain things in full was noticed and appreciated.

Manager: “Companies and organizations that communicate effectively are 4.5x more likely to retain the best employees. When I send an accolade with an iRevü communication attached, I can specifically call out great communications. This, quite simply, rewards excellent communication and teaches my people that it gets results and recognition. When my whole team is working toward great communication, we all win.”

Better Teammate
Employee: “People communicate differently. Am I coming off as too abrasive? Are my words taken in the wrong context? When I learn from my boss how my communication style comes off to others, it gives me the chance to reflect and improve on my teamwork. I don’t want to come across a certain way, so I can nip bad habits in the bud if I see them coming through in my iRevüs. I want to be a manager one day, so learning good communication tactics now with my team will help me tremendously down the line.”

39% of surveyed employees believe that people in their own organization don’t collaborate enough.

Manager: “Part of communication is understanding the nuance and subtlety that can be lost in certain forms of communication. If I notice someone turning off her co-workers with her style, I can use an iRevü to quickly steer her in a different direction, without having to create a bigger deal out of poor communication than I need to. A simple tip about sending bulleted emails no longer than 200 words or having a call with a designer rather than an email may be the only thing missing from her style. I can help her adjust that without calling her work product or actual performance into question.”

Email, chats and intranets have replaced meetings and phone calls, but the end goal is still the same: clarity. Delivering messages from one party to another where everyone is on the same terms, is easier said than done. Start evaluating an undervalued skill in the workforce and watch the teamwork, efficiency and performance rise.

Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.
– Paul J. Meyer

This article orginally featured on the iRevü blog. 

Bio: Michael Heller

Michael Heller has 20+ years of experience in strategic human resources, talent management and technology consulting. As an HR executive at Washington Consulting, Digital Management and Deltek, Michael led teams to develop innovative human capital management programs and initiatives. Previously, Michael held a variety of positions at American Management Systems and Booz Allen Hamilton where he executed on talent acquisition, total rewards, performance management, strategic HR partnership and philanthropy strategies.

Michael serves the community as a board member of Teardrops to Rainbows, an organization dedicated to supporting families of children with cancer. Michael has a Masters degree in Human Resources from Georgetown University and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Connecticut. Michael resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland with his wife and daughter and enjoys cooking and college basketball.