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5 Ways You Can Have More Meaningful Conversations At Work
Practice listening
Listening is the most important part of having a quality conversation—and it’s also the area most people struggle with.
So if you want to improve the quality of your conversations at work, look for opportunities to develop and practice your listening skills.
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Research on communication
Research found that only 7 percent of communication comes from the words you use; the rest of what you communicate comes from your voice and tone (38 percent) and your body language (55 percent).
So that means when you send a virtual message, 93 percent of what you’re trying to communicate may be lost.
Connecting with people
Embrace small talk
Small talk might not be that meaningful, but it does have a few benefits: it can make you happier and it can boost the brain’s executive functions responsible for everything from attention and focus to time management to organization.
Practice listening
Listening is the most important part of having a quality conversation—and it’s also the area most people struggle with.
So if you want to improve the quality of your conversations at work, look for opportunities to develop and practice your listening skills.
Open workspaces
Open office layout cuts face-to-face conversations by as much as 70 percent. The fact that an entire department could hear you talking with someone can block you from seeking connection.
Search for or create pockets of privacy within those open workspace (for example, use a conference room or a designate a quiet zone).
Take your conversations outside
If you find that you’re stuck in a conversation that isn’t going anywhere, a change of scenery can work wonders. So take your conversation outside.
It will reduce stress levels, increase positive emotions, spark creativity, and foster a sense of openness. All these will have a positive effect on your conversations.
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Let People Talk First
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Ask Good Questions That Show You’re Engaged
Ask at least one question before changing topic to show you’re engaged. Gathering details makes it more likely that you’ll be able to establish a connection with the other person or find a way you can lend a hand.
Prepare For A Conversation Without Being Creepy
Take a look at the person’s LinkedIn or Twitter account to get an idea of his tone, interests, etc. You’re always at an advantage when you know more about a person. It will be easier to relate to him and you might avoid awkward conversations.
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Make Time To Connect
Workers crave a sense of authentic connection with others and the best way to do that is by bringing people together in person. But it's not always a viable alternative.
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Communication
- Set clear expectations and make an effort to be a good listener.
- Set clear boundaries. Establish a preferred time for communications so you feel respected and acknowledged.
- Get to know others. Remote workers often have purely transactional interactions. Listen to people and get to know them.
- Update people on what you’re working on and your availability.
Use Shared Experiences
A co-located office develops its own personality through inside jokes, shared experiences, and a collaborative environment. A remote team needs to develop something similar.
Creating specific Slack channels based on interests and book clubs where the company funds the books are the easiest ways to do this for remote workers.
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Mindsets around new conversations
Go into a situation where you will need to speak with people with the mindset of, "I am curious and I want to learn more about other people", rather than going into it with the mindset...
Listen with intent
The best conversationalists aren’t those who always have witty things to say, but those who are genuine listeners.
Good listeners don’t just listen with their ears, but with their whole body. They lean into the conversation, establish eye contact, and provide their undivided attention to the person they’re speaking with.
Ask open-ended questions
Those that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer, are the best type of questions to ask if you’re looking to establish common ground.
Just be careful not to overdo your questioning. You don’t want the other person to feel like they’re being interrogated.
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