Employee Communication Skills
There are several factors that may contribute to the perception that people are getting worse at communication.
One factor is the increasing reliance on digital communication such as texting, email, and social media, which can be more impersonal and less nuanced than face-to-face communication. Digital communication can also lead to miscommunication or misunderstandings due to the lack of nonverbal cues and tone of voice.
Another factor is polarization and divisiveness in many societies, which can make it difficult for people to engage in productive and respectful dialogue. When people feel strongly about an issue, they may be less willing to listen to others with differing viewpoints and more likely to engage in heated or aggressive communication.
Finally, the rapid pace of modern life can also make it challenging for people to take the time to communicate effectively. People may feel overwhelmed with responsibilities and pressures, leading to rushed or incomplete communication.
While there are certainly challenges to effective communication in modern times, it is important to recognize that communication is a skill that can be developed and improved with practice and effort. By being mindful of our communication habits and seeking to understand others, we can work to overcome these challenges and build stronger relationships and communities.
In HRchat episode 542, we consider the employee experience and ask: Are men particularly bad communicators?
My guest this time is Yuri Kruman, Chief Executive Officer / Head of Remote at HR, Talent & Systems, a full-service HR Consultancy, focused on building out robust HR functions for fast-growth companies. Yuri is a sought-after speaker and expert on HR, Digital Transformation, and Employee Experience (EX).
Questions For Yuri Include:
- How did you end up in HR after 5 other unrelated careers?
- In an article on LinkedIn, you write: “Basically, humans, especially men, f-ing suck at communication. We have a million channels for communication – you know, WhatsApp, Facetime, Messenger, face-to-face, FB, Slack, email, carrier pigeon. But our actual communication is poor and getting poorer“. What did you mean by this, why do you feel men are particularly bad at communicating?
- How can poor communication manifest in the workplace? What are the negative consequences on the employee experience and what can be done to improve things?
- In another post called ‘5 Ways Transactional Thinking Is Robbing You Blind — and How to Stop It NOW‘, you say “The trouble is, most of really don’t get how this transactional, tactical short-sighted thinking has become a self-fulfilling prophecy, with 4-second attention spans, insanely short news cycles and blazing fast internet and mobile data speeds driving us (crazy), anxious and inattentive.” Transactional thinking, you suggest, blinds us to what unites us, while exacerbating what separates us, makes us more easily manipulated, takes away our hope and makes us depressed, and causes us more to be more dependent on technology and less dependent on our own sense of right and wrong, and truth and lies. Why do we think transactionally and how can we adjust our mindsets?
- What compelled you to write your latest book series, Be Your Own Commander-in-Chief?
More About Yuri
Yuri is a member of the Fast Company Executive Board, Newsweek Expert Forum and Forbes Coaches Council, as well as a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Newsweek, Business.com, Influencive and a number of other top platforms. He had consulted and spoken at numerous Fortune 500 and Inc. 5000 companies, VC-backed startups and top universities, including EY, Google, Columbia and UPenn, likewise appearing on network TV and top podcasts, including NBC’s “Tipping Point,” Leadership and Loyalty Podcast, Entrepreneur on Fire and Wharton Business Radio. In addition, his executive leadership coaching practice has impacted thousands of top executives.
He is the author of “What Millennials Really Want From Work and Life” (Business Expert Press, March 2019) and “Be Your Own Commander-in-Chief” (Ideapress Publishing, 2021).