After four decades in business, I’ve seen workplace communications evolve dramatically. As the founder of Everyday Effectiveness, a business operations firm advising impact-driven business owners and executives, I’ve also witnessed firsthand the high cost of ineffective communication. Whether it’s a boutique consulting firm or a sprawling college campus, my clients seek me out when they need support getting everyone moving in the same direction to grow their business efficiently.
My journey to becoming an operational strategist began in the early days of home computing. Back then, businesses were just starting to explore how to streamline operations by automating time-intensive or error-prone tasks.
The challenge?
They didn’t have the language to articulate what they needed. I quickly learned to listen to what executives wanted, investigate what they actually needed, and translate all of that into concrete tasks for programmers. It was like decoding a secret language, which opened doors for me across various industries.
As one of the few women in tech during the late 1980s and early ’90s, I advanced quickly.
I found myself pulled into high-stakes situations, like saving a consulting contract with the world’s largest distributor of bull semen.
The key to turning things around? Asking enough questions to uncover what the client really needed, then building an IT solution to serve their present needs while supporting future growth.
These experiences taught me invaluable lessons about effective communication and problem-solving in business. Here are a few key insights I’ve gained:
- Care about your audience and topic. Whether addressing shareholders or keynoting a major conference, finding a way to genuinely care about your audience and subject matter is crucial.
- Understand your communication style and its impact. I’m a fan of TypeCoach for assessing communication styles. It helps separate preferences from capacity, enabling more productive conversations between different personality types.
- Focus on listening. Often, we prepare to address what we think an audience “needs” to hear instead of what they want to understand. Active listening can significantly adjust your message for the better.
- Assume positive intent. Communication often breaks down due to misinterpretations or assuming negative intent. Start from the belief that everyone is trying their best, and even difficult conversations become more productive.
- Stay curious. Remaining open to new ideas and perspectives helps address topics comprehensively and engagingly. Curiosity drives you to ask questions that uncover the heart of an issue.
In our remote-first culture, effective communication has new challenges. While technology has increased accessibility, it’s also created new barriers. Online meetings require extra effort to hold attention, and written messages often lack the nuance of tone, leading to misunderstandings.
This problem, and the search for solutions, led to an interview with Authority Magazine writer Athalia Monae. You can read the interview in its entirety, along with an expanded explanation of the tip shared above, in Medium.
Throughout my career, I’ve learned that context matters immensely. One-size-fits-all solutions don’t truly fit anyone or any business. Understanding the deeper circumstances that influence actions and outcomes is key to effective decision-making, problem-solving, and communication in every situation.
About Gwen
Gwen Bortner, host of The Business You Really Want, has spent four decades advising executives and entrepreneurs in 45+ industries. She helps women succeed in business without sacrificing happiness by identifying their true desires and aligning their business functions. She spots overlooked bottlenecks and crafts efficient plans toward sustainable success that center your values and priorities.
