No matter the specific industry, communication skills remain a vital part of conducting business. The need for quality communication is especially strong in the world of logistics, considering the wide range of people involved in a supply chain. The best companies boast great communicators – from management to other key team members.

The basis of these skills comes from being a clear writer and verbal communicator. As society has developed, basic verbal and written skills have become expected. Employers don’t want to teach those skills to new employees, and anyone who possesses those skills will stand out to managers. Hiring managers experience a potential employee’s communication skills in the cover letter and resume as well as in interviews.

Your company’s overall success depends on how well you communicate with your customers and suppliers. With that in mind, here are a few tips on taking the basic communication skills and tailoring them to the workplace today.

Being Clear and Concise

The attention span of everyone continues to get shorter. That means all communication, whether it comes from an e-mail, phone call or face-to-face interaction, needs to be clear and concise to make an impact.

The other part of being clear and concise stems from explaining subject matter to other members of the organization. It’s easy to understand supply chain content when you are immersed in it every day. However, when you have to give explanations to co-workers who aren’t on your project, an underrated skill is being able to describe that content in an easy-to-understand manner.

Listening More Than Talking

Another way to be an effective communicator comes from actively listening to all parties you interact with, whether it’s someone you see multiple times a day or just met for the first time. Listening is a skill that most people don’t focus on when they think about communicating.

Why is listening so important? If you truly concentrate on the message or question coming from another party, then your contributions will be even more meaningful and worthwhile.

Displaying Confidence in All Aspects

When a person communicates with a sense of confidence in front of an audience, that message carries more weight. It’s easy to think about confidence during a presentation in front of a group of people, but it also carries over to a simple e-mail.

The tone of an e-mail can come across as indecisive or it can be strong but respectful. Leaving an opening for the person on the other end to poke holes or put their spin on the message can be overcome with crafting a robust message.

If you need any additional input on building a winning team at your logistics company, talk to the experts at ZDA. One of the nation’s leading supply chain staffing agencies, we offer the business insight and great candidates able to improve your organization’s operations. Schedule a meeting with us at your earliest convenience.

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