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From the smallest firms to the largest corporations, work gets done through communication. Over the phone, via email, through a presentation, or at a meeting, strong communication skills are a must in the workplace. Follow along for our communication do’s and don’ts, offered by Sharon Schweitzer, author and business etiquette expert.  You will learn about the biggest mistakes people make and how to fix them.

1] DON’T get defensive. When presenting an idea to your manager or colleagues, don’t get defensive when someone offers constructive criticism.

DO be open to others’ input and thank them for speaking up. Being on a team means collaborating on ideas and to get the best ones on the table, you need feedback from everyone, even if you don’t agree with it.

2] DON’T deliver only good news. When giving someone feedback on their presentation or performance, it’s way more comfortable to give only positive news. But skipping the constructive criticism doesn’t do anyone any favors and actually hurts performance because the receiver doesn’t know where to focus their improvement efforts.

DO use the sandwich technique to deliver your positive and negative feedback. Start with the positive, follow it with the negative, then end on a positive note. Plan what you’ll say so that the recipient knows where they succeeded and are also clear on areas to improve.

3] DON’T let presentation nerves get the best of you. When making an important presentation, it’s common to be nervous; to slouch, avoid eye contact, and use filler words like “um”, “uh”, and “like”.

DO over-prepare. Using a clear voice, good posture, and eye contact, practice in front of a mirror or with co-workers. Being well prepared helps build your confidence and keeps the nerves at bay.

4] DON’T be lazy with the “Reply All” button. We’ve all been on the receiving end of the never-ending mass email; the ones that go on forever with the back and forth comments on a particular project, most of which aren’t important to anyone but the project team.

DO go through the recipient list to determine who really needs to be there instead of just clicking “Reply All” and adding to everyone’s overloaded in box. The extra few minutes it takes to do this will be appreciated by all.

Keep these workplace communication tips in mind as you work through your day. Because we communicate constantly, we are bound to slip up from time to time. When that happens, you’ll know how to fix it right away.

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