Initiating a conversation can be challenging for someone who doesn’t know how to get started. Especially if the person you’re trying to reach out to doesn’t give you the vibe. You can ignore them if you wish. However, communication is the key to achieving the best outcomes in the workplace. It’s more than just exchanging information—it builds clarity, trust, and alignment among team members.
As author Brooks puts it, “Conversation is the pathway that we, as humans, use to pursue all the things we want to achieve.” This illustrates the significant impact that effective communication can have on driving both individual success and team progress.
So, if you and your teammates aim for excellence, learning how to communicate effectively isn’t just helpful—it’s necessary. Strong communication fosters collaboration, minimizes misunderstandings, and enables teams to perform at their best.
Here are the best tips on how you can become a great communicator:
1. Choose a topic
When initiating a conversation, start with a light, easy-to-understand topic. A good discussion should feel comfortable, not something that will pressure the person you’re talking to or make them overthink their response out of fear that the conversation might turn argumentative. Instead, you can choose a light yet meaningful topic that encourages a smooth discussion.
You can also talk about projects or give feedback on ongoing work to promote improvement and collaboration within the team. This enhances teamwork and contributes to the organization’s overall excellence.
2. Be curious
Workplace employees often hesitate to ask a question, leaving the conversation hanging. There are only two reasons why a person doesn’t ask questions in a conversation: either they fully understood what was said, or they weren’t listening and had no interest in the topic.
When one is not invested in the topic, there is often a lack of engagement, making the conversation difficult to sustain. A good mental stockpile of questions is beneficial whenever conversations seem to be drying up. When asking, set a good tone and frame the question as open-ended so that they’ll need to elaborate on their answers. The more information they share, the more seamless and continuous the discussion will be.
3. Levity is the Key
You know that person who gets along with everybody and makes the atmosphere lighter than usual? That person is the crowd favorite for a reason!
Those kinds of people are good conversationalists who bring subtle humor to serious matters without being critical in a discussion. Having levity doesn’t mean you have to be funny or bubbly; it refers to bringing warmth to the person you’re talking to. Being an easygoing and lighthearted conversationalist makes you more approachable, as people feel comfortable talking to you.
Due to heavy workloads and tight deadlines, workplace challenges and stressful situations are common. This communication trait is also important to ease the burden of work.
4. Listen as well
Don’t be passive; be assertive. Communication is a two-way process, and you wouldn’t want someone to keep talking about themselves without letting you speak throughout the entire conversation, would you?
Listening intently makes people feel that they are heard and that you actually care for them. Using comfortable silence after somebody speaks shows that you have heard and processed what has been said. When you listen, stop thinking about what you will say next. You don’t always need a rocket science response to what the other person is saying. Understanding them matters more because you will naturally have a reaction or something to say. The key is to be mindful of your words.
In a conversation, you have to give them a chance so you can gather information instead of just throwing ideas around too much. You can also demonstrate that you are genuinely listening to them by following up on a question and paraphrasing what they’ve said in the conversation.
Building openness in the workplace can be challenging—especially when colleagues are still getting to know one another and professional roles don’t naturally lend themselves to personal interaction. However, connecting with and building rapport among your coworkers can foster trust, encourage collaboration, and ultimately enhance overall team performance.
At Servicio Filipino, we cultivate a healthy, respectful, and well-structured work environment. By promoting positive workplace relationships and maintaining systematic processes, we help prevent toxicity and safeguard the mental well-being of our employees. Looking to grow your career in a supportive and dynamic organization? Send your resume to sourcing@serviciofilipino.com and explore exciting job opportunities with us.