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Effective Workplace Communication
Begins with Understanding
Hear the message rather than judge the messenger. Effective workplace communication includes decoding a message for content.
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Step 4. Receiver Decodes Message
In Step 3, you sent a message through an appropriate communication channel. (For more information about the six steps of the
Communication Process Diagram,
scroll to the bottom of this page). In Step 4, the receiver takes over and translates your message. This step is called decoding.
Once you send a message, you have to let go and see if the message results in effective workplace communication.
To encode a clear message in Step 2, you assumed:
- Who the receiver was socio-culturally,
- Her knowledge of the subject matter,
- Her communication skill level (vocabulary, grammar, listening, etc.), and
- The psychological environment (trust, honesty, self-esteem, etc.) surrounding the communication.
The receiver decodes your message with a similar set of assumptions about you.
Assumptions Aren’t Always Correct
Think of assumptions as filters. As a sender, your mouth has two filters that influence how you use words:
- Who you are (age, gender, ethnicity, and experience) and
- Who you think the receiver is.
The receiver’s filters are over her ears. She hears your message based on who she is and who she thinks you are.
It’s a wonder that effective workplace communication ever occurs with all the differences and assumptions between individuals.
Good communication breaks down with wrong assumptions. For example, you could assume:
She’s a new employee, so she won’t know what a widget is. I’ll have to start with the basics.
But, you didn’t know that her aunt is a world-renown widget expert, and your employee knows quite a bit about widgetry.
See Filters to Increase Effective Workplace Communication
Be aware of how filters over your mouth interact with filters over the receiver’s ears. Look for similarities and differences between you and the receiver. What do you have in common with the receiver: age, interests, or education? Factor similarities into your message to improve understanding.
What are the biggest differences between you and the receiver: gender, experience, or formal power? Be aware of differences, and minimize them by listening without judgment.
Understand the Message Rather than Judge the Messenger
Decoding a message, particularly from someone we don’t like, often turns into a judgment-fest. Instead of focusing on the content of the message, we judge the messenger.
The next time you listen to someone at work, notice your thoughts. Do you judge the sender as attractive/unattractive, too fast/too slow, competent/incompetent or other qualities?
Judging isn’t wrong. Brains are wired to discern what’s real or not, what’s safe or not, what’s expected of me or not, etc. Don’t shame or blame yourself for judging.
Instead, when you notice judgmental thoughts, say the word “judging” once silently in your mind to make yourself conscious of it. Then, let the judging thoughts move to the background of your thinking process.
Discipline your thinking. Bring the content of the message into the foreground. What idea, concern, or behavior is the person communicating?
Tips for Promoting Effective Workplace Communication through Decoding
To promote good communication and less judging:
1. Role model good listening skills so that direct reports learn from your style.
2. Train your team on listening skills so that they know you want everyone to be heard.
3. Get to know and respect your employees’ individuality, interests, and abilities.
Give Yourself a Score on Step 4
Keeping all of your direct reports in mind, how effectively do you promote judgment-free decoding? You can use grades like A, B, C, D or F. Or you can use percentages like 30%, 65% or 87% of the time.
To read in detail about each step in the
Communication Process Diagram,
click on a step below:
1. Sender Recognizes Intention,
2. Sender Encodes Message,
3. Sender Selects Channel,
4. Receiver Decodes Message, (Return to top of this page)
5. Receiver Interprets Intention, and
6. Sender Requests and Receiver Gives Feedback.
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