Effective Communication - Part I

Published under Marketing Your Business, Self Improvement, Workplace Tips

Ten Tips to Making Yourself Better Understood in the Work Place
(Part I)

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has occurred.
—George Bernard Shaw

Proactive Accountant Bookkeeper Image How many of us have a mental image of the accountant as the bean counter in a back room, surrounded by accounting ledgers and calculators? Accountants should be the profit center experts in an organization, but that’s impossible to accomplish when fraternizing with numbers alone. One of the keys to becoming an invaluable accountant is in effectively communicating with colleagues, many of whom have no background in accounting and may be a little skittish talking profit margins.

So how should an accountant engage with coworkers in a manner that puts everyone in the financial know? Here are five of ten tips to becoming a better communicator, which will enable your colleagues, including management, to become profit center enthusiasts.

1. Listen

Effective communication can’t take place if one person is doing all the talking. Part of effectively engaging with colleagues is in understanding their goals, responsibilities, and concerns. This can only happen when you listen to them. Once you do, you better understand how your objectives can align with theirs, making you true business partners.

2. Determine Your Audience

After listening to your colleagues, you can better understand who they are and how your message can be catered to them. Ask yourself the following questions in order to better understand your audience:

  • How much accounting knowledge do they have?
  • Do they have responsibilities that can contribute to profit center success?
  • How does your message or purpose relate to their organizational role?

Once your understand how your message relates to their role and the company’s success, they will be more likely to respond favorably.

3. Identify Your Purpose

You must identify the purpose of your message. Are you simply sharing information or do you want to effect organizational change? Once you understand what you’re trying to accomplish, you can eliminate the fluff and ensure your message is communicated clearly and succinctly.

4. Determine Your Method of Presentation

After identifying your audience and the purpose of your message, you need to determine the best method of presenting it. Not all messages are created equal; pick the method of presentation best suited for your audience and purpose. Should you present in staff meeting, write a company memo, or schedule a one-on-one meeting? It would be silly to share your message in a staff meeting if your purpose is to communicate one individual. It would be a waste of time to schedule one-on-one meetings with a handful of people all getting the same message.

5. Use Plain Language

Accountants have a tendency to use accounting jargon that can intimidate, confuse, and even bore an audience. Be sure to use plain language, especially when communicating with colleagues who don’t have an extensive accounting background. Consider ways to explain accounting concepts simply and clearly.

These five tips can help accountants effectively communicate with colleagues and ensure a profit center’s success. Return next week to discover five more ways to improve your communication skills as an accountant.

Learn more to speak the accounting language.

Bookmark and Share: