Becoming a More Impactful Communicator

Source: SHRM Online Readling Materials 

Communicators are perceived as impactful for a variety of reasons. Some factors may be difficult to create or control, such as status in the organization or physical attributes. But the most potent ways to have impact are available to all determined communicators: projecting credibility and creating an effective presence or physical image.

A communicator's credibility clears away much of the initial static or "noise" in the communication process. The audience is more willing to listen and to believe. Perceived credibility involves building a reputation for expertise, reliability, and integrity.

Engaging with an audience requires supporting your message and your credibility with a physical presence that is appropriate and engaging. Impactful communicators use their words, their bodies, and their voices as an element of the message. This includes:

· Posture and movement- maintaining an erect but relaxed posture, moving slowly, following and mirroring the posture of audience members if appropriate.

· Gesture using hand movements to emphasize key points, but not overusing gestures or using them at the wrong time.

· Eye contact-establishing soft (not piercing) contact with the eyes of audience members, shifting gaze slowly to include all members of the audience (not picking one spot or person to engage, not letting the gaze dart nervously about the room).

· Vocal qualities- speaking clearly, loudly enough to be heard, and at a reasonable speed. Varying speed and volume in a way that supports the message can avoid creating tedium.

The major enemies to presence are falseness and nervousness.

Falseness can derive from assuming a manner and personality that are so distant from your own that they interfere with your ability to connect directly with the audience. It can also derive from dishonesty-lying about facts, or avoiding answering questions.

Nervousness in itself is not problematic. Most people are nervous in speaking situations, and most audiences forgive that. A prolonged state of nervousness tends to be contagious, however. The audience becomes uncomfortable and perhaps skeptical. It's a good practice to identify what you do when you feel nervous and to develop strategies for blocking these habits. If your speech tends to speed up when you're nervous, practice conscious breathing and build pauses into your delivery. Practice speaking in informal situations without using interjections such as "um" or introducing comments with self-deprecating remarks ("I may be wrong here, but ... "). If you move your hands nervously, fold them together, or place them on a tabletop.

When looking at physical and vocal cues in communication, it is important to take neurodiversity into consideration. For example, individuals on the autism spectrum or those diagnosed with dyslexia, ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), dyspraxia, or social anxiety disorders may not exhibit the same social cues as other people. If such cues indicate that there may be a miscommunication present, it is important to recognize when appropriate accommodations might be needed and to verify that messages are being sent and received accurately. This may also be true for individuals from different cultures, who may have different norms with regard to cues such as personal space and eye contact or gestures. Adopting a flexible approach to communications is a sound strategy, which may mean allowing some leeway in method and medium. It is also important to provide employees who have different perspectives with the opportunity to learn and use social skills and practices common in the organization. Providing these accommodations isn't always easy, but incorporating this flexible approach into the culture of HR and the organization can help nurture talent and generate benefits for the organization.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Communication

Communication should not be a formulaic activity, performed only because it is expected or because it attracts attention. The point of communication is to initiate or support action. If the outcome does not advance the objective, the communication has failed.

Significant communication events should be evaluated as soon as possible to identify strategies that worked and things that could be improved:

·        Was the audience analysis complete and on target?

·        Did the audience react as anticipated?

·        What points did they seem most or least interested in?

·        Where did they get confused?

·        Where were they most engaged? What engagement tactics worked and which didn't?

·        How could feedback mechanisms be improved? Signs of effective communication within your HR team and within the organization could include:

·        High levels of engagement reported in employee surveys.

·        High levels of retention.

·        Positive comments on the organization's social media channels.

·        Effectiveness of teams in meeting their commitments and department budgets and schedules.

·        High levels of collaboration.