5 methods that can be used to ensure effective communication with a supervisor

Few things are more important to career success than communication skills in the workplace. Effective communication with your supervisor is especially crucial to your professional development and career advancement.

Knowing how to listen, express yourself, handle feedback and show initiative will help you establish a strong working relationship and ensure a positive recommendation for promotional opportunities. Effective communication between a boss and employees doesn’t just happen without concerted effort.

You will likely communicate with your boss in one-on-one supervisory meetings, over the telephone, via email, and through memos and team meetings. No matter the setting, focus on what the boss is telling you even if you don’t think the information is all that important at the time. Take notes to help you remember key talking points.

The LACCD Personnel Commission recommends listening attentively when meeting in person with your boss. Reflect back what you think you heard your boss say to clarify understanding. You want to be on the same page as your boss and follow instructions to the letter.

Example: It sounds like you want me to reprioritize the projects I am working on and focus exclusively on the McGill campaign for the next two weeks. Did I get that right?

Make the most of your time with your supervisor by coming prepared with discussion topics listed in order of priority in case you don’t have time to get to all of them. Have a clear purpose in mind, such as providing a progress report, sharing your accomplishments, asking for advice or discussing short-term and long-range goals. Be cognizant of your supervisor’s time and present information concisely.

Be ready to offer possible solutions if you’re coming to your boss with a problem. If you have questions, recognize that your boss may need time to research your question or review the budget. Being pushy can backfire and strain your relationship. Communicate understanding of how the process works.

Example: I realize you can’t give me an answer today. I just wanted to present my training request now, so you could be thinking about it when you have more information on next year’s budget.

Supervisor feedback provides an employee with valuable insight into what behaviors are valued and rewarded. Excellent communication skills during a job performance review will determine whether the conversation is awkward and uncomfortable or mutually beneficial. You can make it easy for your supervisor by not reactively negatively to what you may perceive as criticism.

Even if you don’t agree with everything that is said, accept the feedback gracefully. Consider that there may be some truth in your supervisor’s observations even if you don’t see it that way. Inc.com stresses the importance of focusing on solutions and self-improvement rather than making excuses for yourself.

Example: Thank you for sharing that I come across as bossy when communicating with colleagues. I will work on being less domineering in team meetings.

The Robert Half blog suggests that supervisors like to engage in conversations with employees about how they can contribute to the success of the organization. Initiate conversations about how you can play a role in helping the company be successful in a competitive transnational market. Supervisors appreciate employees who show initiative and seek out opportunities to keep their skills fresh.

Ideally, your professional goals should align with the strategic goals of the organization. Look for the intersection between your own personal or professional goals and the needs of the company.

Example: You mentioned the company's plans to rebrand a couple products due to sluggish sales. With your permission, I would like to attend a two-day seminar next month to learn more about emerging digital marketing techniques.

Let’s face it; communication is one of the most important issues in the workplace. Good communication helps everyone on your team (and you) to feel heard and understood, and as a result, everyone benefits from a positive, encouraging and successful environment. Conversely, ineffective communication brings about the opposite results. Ideas fall flat due to lack of follow-through. You and your team feel frustrated, unacknowledged and misunderstood, and morale declines.

Leadership sets the tone in any business. While improving communication may seem like a daunting task, it can be done, and you can successfully lead the way. Start employing our five strategies for improved workplace communication to increase understanding, improve the workplace environment and promote team spirit. As these natural by-products of effective communication take place, improved success will follow.

Effective Workplace Communication Strategies

1. Give Your Undivided Attention. Whether you’re in a group meeting or with one employee, offering your full focus to those you’re with will greatly improve how you’re received. How often have you been in a conversation with someone who kept looking at their smartphone or elsewhere while talking or listening to you? Lack of focus devalues the conversation causing people to tune out. Maintain eye contact during conversations and meetings, and put all other things aside to visually convey your focus and encourage each individual to stay present.

2. Take Time to Listen. Don’t monopolize the conversation. After a while, people will start tuning you out and your message will be lost. Be frugal with your words, avoiding fluff and fillers. Pause after important points to take questions or check for understanding. This will help your staff members feel that they play an active role in the conversation.

3. Be Mindful of How You’re Communicating. Your words are only a fraction of the message you relay to staff members. Body language and tonality contribute heavily toward the effectiveness with which your communication is received. Maintain a relaxed stance and facial expression while speaking with employees. Rest your arms by your sides rather than crossing them over your chest as this is a defensive posture. Make eye contact, smile when it’s appropriate and nod your head affirmatively while listening.

4. Follow Up in Writing. No matter how compelling your meeting was, it’s probable that those in attendance will not remember everything that was shared. Prior to the meeting, designate a person to take notes. Assimilate this information into a bullet-pointed email to send to your team as a follow-up and refresher. Short, concise notes will keep important information fresh in people’s minds.

5. Inform and Inspire. Communication is a form of information exchange. Explaining and clarifying your thoughts and ideas is important in a leadership role. But passing on information to your team is only half of the equation. As a leader, it’s vital to your business that your communication efforts inspire your team as much as they educate them. Plan ahead for meetings and conversations so you can effectively mix information and inspiration. If this is particularly challenging for you, the support of a mentor or coach can be helpful.

The effects of improved communication may or may not appear overnight. Stick with it for the long haul, and eventually your business will reap the rewards of better communication in the workplace. Check in with a business peer or mentor whenever possible to talk about how things are going and brainstorm ways to continue improving communication between you and your employees.

By actively taking steps to ensure open communication between managers and employees you will help to create a more productive and satisfying workplace, as well as more engaged and motivated employees.

How to improve communication between managers and employees

Here are some ways to improve communication between employees and managers:

1. Regular communication

Ensure you are regularly communicating with your employees. Evaluate the communication methods and channels that you use – are they innovative, or could they be considered boring and unappealing? Video alerts, for example, may be more interesting to younger staff members. Other communication ideas include having regular meetings without holding them on a weekly basis, having one-on-one chats with your staff members every so often, asking employees if they want to get updates through email or through SMS alerts.

Also make sure to communicate with staff when there is breaking news such as new products being launched or gaining new important clients. Ensuring employees receive regular updates also boosts morale and engagement.

2. Asking and giving feedback

Look for ways to solicit feedback from your staff members. This will promote a more dynamic relationship between managers and employees and will make staff members feel valued and that their ideas matter to the company. Managers can gain insights and can make improvements to processes that could potentially be more efficient and effective. It also gives them an idea as to how engaged and motivated their staff members are. A good way to gather this information is via regular surveys such as employee engagement surveys or pulse surveys.

On the flipside, managers can also give feedback to their teams about how they are performing. Constructive feedback as well as praise for a job well done and encouragement help workers feel more part of the company. A feedback system is one of the best ways of improving communication in the workplace.

3. Opening lines of communication

Listening is a critical skill when it comes to communication. One of the most important ways of improving communication is making sure that lines of communication between managers and employees are open. Managers should be accessible. They should be able to set aside time to answer phone calls, answer emails, and chat with team members.

Listening involves your full attention. Hear what your employees have to say without interrupting them or thinking of your own reply as they speak. Even if you disagree with their thoughts or ideas, allow your staff members to speak. The better you are at listening, the more comfortable employees will be to approach you with their concerns and ideas.

4. Leading by example

Lead by example. Remember that your credibility as a manager is highly dependent on being able to deliver what you promise, on your ability to communicate positively with others, and acknowledging the successes and ideas of your staff members. Employees need to know that you are someone who speaks the truth, and you are someone who follows through on what you say.

Also, not only should you be aware of what you say, but how you say it. Be mindful of your communication style and your nonverbal cues. These indicate your level of transparency and willingness to openly communicate with your team members.

5. Showing respect through words and actions

At the very core of true and effective communication is respect. Although you may be leading, make sure that each one of your staff members feels respected and valued as people and as members of the team. Respect them through your words, your actions and your attitudes. A good way to model respect in the workplace is to use a tool such as a corporate screensaver that includes a reminder about your company values and workplace respect policies.

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A lack of communication between managers and employees can be disastrous for a workplace. It will lead to mistakes, lack of direction, reduced productivity and poor morale. By taking steps to improve the interpersonal communication between managers and employees in your organization you can help to transform your company into one that is a top performer.

Frequently asked questions

Why is communication between managers and employees important?

The importance of communication between managers and employees cannot be overstated. Communication is pivotal to the overall success of a company. Without effective communication from senior leaders within the organization, employees will lack direction and be unmotivated and unhappy.

How can employees communicate better?

Employees can communicate better by having access to respectful, purposeful and meaningful avenues for two-way communication with management so that they can provide feedback, suggest ideas and raise concerns.

What are the types of communication between managers and employees?

Communication between manager s and employees examples include:

• Emails
• Phone calls
• Team meetings
• One-on-one discussions
• Performance appraisals
• Surveys