| Communication Skills for Supervisors |
Communication Skills for Supervisors
A supervisor must implement good communication between their-self and their team. For any team to be successful the team needs to know what their goals are, they need to understand what is happening in their surroundings (coworkers, upper management, company objectives), and they need to know which tools are required and how to use them in order to achieve their goals.
Communication entails the transfer of meaning or in other words the process of exchanging thoughts and information. With good communication comes a clear understanding between the communicator and the communicatee. Note that communication includes verbal, non-verbal and written communication.
Steps to improve communication
• Think before you speak- Think about the message you are trying to convey to your listener and make sure your message makes sense and it can be easily understood.
• Hold back emotions- Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. When your emotions run high the meaning of what you’re trying to say may get distorted, as well as what others are trying to convey to you. If you feel you are getting upset over an issue it is best to walk away, take a breather and resume communication later.
• Match words with actions- Remember the saying “actions speak louder than words?” This saying still holds true. Make sure that your actions support the words you are using and you are not falling short on promises. If what you communicate to your employees is backed up by the actions you take you will gain your teams trust.
• Utilize feedback- Ask your listener if they understand what you are saying or have asked them to do. Have a conversation with them to make sure they do understand everything that is going on. It may be a good idea to have them express your message in their own words so you get clarity and if there was any miscommunication you can further discuss the matter.
• Listen- It is important for you to listen to the messages that are being conveyed to you. To improve on your listening skills it is important to avoid any actions that may be distractive. If you are communicating face-to-face try to use eye contact as much as possible. Show interest and be motivated to understand what is being communicated. Ask questions if you are not sure about any part of the message.
| " | With good communication comes a clear understanding between the communicator and the communicatee. |
