Mark Cohen, BCG Securities, on Improving Office Communication

In any office, communication is vitally important. No matter your position or what your job entails, you need to know how to talk to the people you work with. If you’re in a management position, it can feel like none of the employees are giving feedback or talking to you about concerns or goals. You might be an employee who does not feel comfortable voicing ideas at meetings. Regardless of who you are in your company, follow these tips to enhance communication, whether it’s your own or that of the office as a whole.

Practice active listening

A great way to improve communication in your office is through active listening. Many people believe that they’re good listeners, but they actually are not. A lot of people half listen to what the person they’re talking to is saying, but are actually thinking about what they’ll say next or something else related to themselves. When someone talks to you at work, whether a coworker, a direct report, or your manager, learn to be completely engaged in what they’re saying. People can tell when you aren’t actually listening to them and it can lead to negative feelings and a breakdown in communication.

Provide the chance for feedback

If you’re in a management position, it’s important that your employees feel that they can talk to you about concerns or provide feedback. Consider setting up (or suggesting one is set up) an anonymous feedback form for employees to fill out quarterly or as they have suggestions. After company changes or other events, it can also be helpful to send out feedback surveys. Employees are more likely to fill out a form and provide feedback than seek out someone to speak with face-to-face. You’ll get an idea of how people in the company feel and could come across brilliant new ideas.

Adjust the way you communicate

If you sense that there are communication issues within your office, take time to consider that the way you communicate could be an issue. Learn how to more effectively communicate and examine aspects of your communication such as your tone, phrasing, and other small details. After you’ve worked on improving your own communication style, if there are still issues, find ways to help coach your employees as well.

Speak thoughtfully

Whenever you’re trying to communicate, remember to speak thoughtfully. Even if you’re angry or upset about something at work, take time to calm your emotions and think through what you want to say. In order to communicate effectively, you need to be able to clearly and concisely get your message across in a way that people pay attention to and understand.

About the Author

Mark Cohen is a financial professional who has previously worked at BCG Securities and Metlife. Mark has extensive experience working as a financial advisor and enjoys being able to help others successfully manage their personal finances. He feels that working in finance provides a challenging environment where there are constant developments and changes. Mark Cohen has enjoyed great success in his career and achieved much at the various companies he's worked at, including building a talented team of investors, being recognized in the top one percent of financial advisors in the country, and being recognized in the top 20 of advisors throughout the country.