Conversations

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” — George Bernard Shaw

Does this quote resonate with you personally or professionally? I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all be there in one or more aspect in our lives. Conversations can be delightful, hard or even critical — and these types of conversations don’t always happen at work. The truth is, we spend our entire lives communicating with varying levels of effort. What we might not take into consideration is how one interaction can change a relationship and that conversations, especially with clients, should be intentional.

What are we even saying?

We communicate with our client sponsors in several different ways: face to face, email sometimes even text. Our conversations can span a variety of things — personal or professional — and some conversations are easier than others. One thing that we’ve all learned during an engagement is that all conversations count — large or small, formal or informal. So how can we take care in practicing good client communication?

Show genuine care

People can see right through a lack of care or motivation in a conversation. Dig into why your client is involved in the work you’re helping with. Find out what motivates them. This will help build a relationship of care and create opportunities for you to work towards a common goal and ensure your work product aligns to our clients’ expectations.

Listen, actively. Slow down on responding

Active listening is a tough skill in our world of constant distraction (i.e. that mini computer in your pocket). We also tend to start forming our response before the other person has even finished their sentence. Try to truly listen and use open-ended questions/statements such as: “tell me more about that” or “how does that impact the business group/end-user?” Not only are we gaining more information, we’re fostering an environment for sharing. The more information we can gather, the greater positive impact we can have with our work product.

Keep your body language open

Pay attention to your body language when you’re in conversations. Conference room, hallway discussion or small office setting — 70% of communication is non-verbal. Eliminate distractions like laptops and phones. Lean in, practice good eye contact and actively listen to your client. Not only are you gaining critical account information, you’re building a strong, trusting relationship.

Time, place, location

Trust building communication can involve timing, delivery methods and location. Consider what news you’re about to deliver, how you’re sharing it (email, face to face, text) and where. Making the receiver of this information feel safe shows that you’re thoughtful about communication and understand the value of the message.

Own your words

Say what you mean, mean what you say, be honest, show compassion and be responsible with your words. Interpretation is a funny activity in people’s brains and can add complexities to the already complex activity of communication. Leverage tools and resources to help tell a story (status reports, data visualization, project plans) and stick to the facts.

Client communication should be early and often, setting you and your client up for project success. Delaying a hard conversation (other than preparations) only delays project success.

From more resources on communication, check out this list of recommended reading, a video on having better conversations, or this video on effective communications to improve client outcomes.

Written by: Jennifer Sloat, Consultant