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whenever possible. Ask for input, schedule brainstorming sessions, or ask for opposing opinions at meetings. Effective communication occurs when people feel that they can share their thoughts and ideas without recriminations, and that they don't have to 'toe the company line' at all times.

(3) All communication should be constructive. It's not always possible to be positive about things that happen in the workplace. Sometimes, mistakes are made and this costs the company time and money. However, even in a negative situation, communication can be constructive. For instance, John Doe screwed up and missed a deadline and has been summoned to his boss's office. The boss can point out the obvious and tell John just how badly he screwed up, and odds are, John already knows. Or the boss has the option to use this instance to enhance his working relationship with John. He can certainly voice his displeasure, but he can also provide concrete options for John to help him so that a mistake like this won't happen again. This approach has the benefit of making John an active participant in his own success at the company. It also helps the boss to understand any lingering problems and to address those problems immediately. It's easy to yell at someone for doing something wrong, but much harder to help them fix those problems. But helping to fix a problem will tend to create less problems in the future, as well as create a precedent of using effective communication to resolve workplace problems.

(4) Try not to bring past issues into communications. Many people keep a mental scorecard of sorts. It's human nature to forgive but it's hard to forget at times. However, to encourage effective communication, it is important to not bring old issues into current communication. Take the John Doe example above, if the boss is talking to John again, it's not conductive to effective communication if the boss says, 'and don't screw this up like you did that other project.' Not only does this take a swipe at John's self-esteem, but it diminishes the boss's current message as it seems like the boss can't let go of past issues. Further, it will make John think that he now has a scorecard, and that each mistake will be tallied and noted. This only creates unease and resentment which are things that do not encourage effective communication. It also stifles open communication because John may wonder if he says the wrong thing, will his boss use that against him in the future? Will that go on his scorecard?

Effective communication is not easy to achieve or maintain, but it is a worthwhile goal to aspire to, and everyone in the workplace can benefit from it. If those shaping company policy and procedure can create an environment that encourages effective communication, the company's productivity and efficiency will likely increase, thereby helping the company sustain success.

Learn more about this author, Katie Lee.
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