Although standards of what you can or can’t say in business situations are more relaxed today than they used to be, it is still important to use appropriate language, no matter what the business situation. This article outlines the steps you can take to ensure that the language you use is appropriate to the variety of business situations you will experience during your working life.
Ask a colleague or a friend to critically appraise your spoken and written communication. They may give you a useful insight into how you come across, and they may also be able to make suggestions as to how you can improve your communication skills.
Record yourself on audio or video tape and play it back in order to work on improving your speech. This can also help you discover pronunciation errors and mannerisms that you may not be aware of.
Eliminate slang, jargon and vernacular speech from your business language. Even though this may be widely used within an organisation or industry, it may not be accepted by people on the outside.
Listen to others and assess them by looking at how they speak, what they say and how well they are received.
Keep your temper in check at all times. This will help you to avoid awkward business situations in which you have said something that you cannot take back.
Remember your manners. Using social graces such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ will go a long way to creating a positive and professional image.
Pay attention to the different types of people in your workplace. Make sure that you do not use any inappropriate/racist/sexist humour or remarks that could easily offend. Avoid stereotyping, as this is also likely to offend.
When working in a team, avoid using the words ‘yours’ and ‘mine’. Instead, use ‘ours’ and ‘we’.
Do not disclose information about your private life, or gossip about the private life of someone you know.
Be careful not to criticise other people. Not only does it look bad, but it could also cause your clients, colleagues or manager to distrust you. Whenever you hear something negative about someone, just listen to what is being said, without giving your input.
Reference: https://app.goodpractice.net/
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