I work side by side with my boyfriend. We have a home office set up apart from the main living area. There’s enough space for us to have our work area while still being near each other enough to communicate. While we can have proper business communication because we have a shared office space, it’s not always easy to communicate. Let’s face it, working with your other half isn’t an easy feat. You have to take time to separate personal issues with business growth. You have to work harder to improve business communication because the relationship side will flow into the business side. We are in year three of working from home together, but year two of actually having combined efforts towards a business module. Our platforms are our babies, we don’t have any children together so our platforms tend to be our “baby” and we both are passionate about them.
There are many ways we work to improve our business communication but admittedly being male versus female can totally get in the way sometimes. Today I wanted to share a few tips on how I work to improve my business communication skills so that growth actually happens in the business module.
Be Clear and Concise
It’s easy to pass the blame game or yell at someone for a lack of business communication. The harder part is to learn how to be clear and concise. This business communication you have with your partner isn’t about the relationship at all, it’s about business. Learn to use clear and concise wording to ensure that both of you understand what is being said. Remove all emotions from the business communication and focus on the topic at hand – communicating the needs from your side of the business.
Don’t Let Up
Business communication can only be improved if you never let up. Keep chugging forward and staying on track with what you know will work best for the business module. If you feel that your communication doesn’t work, analyze if you can be more clear about what you are saying or if you are just at a dead end and have to start going about the situation differently. I don’t know your business situation but I know my own and with each break down in business communications, I have to make decisions to stay focused on the ultimate goal – to support the household.
Listen to Each Other
Each of you working together should feel as if you bring something to the table. Each of you working in a business environment together should be able to speak and be heard. While you may not agree with or think that your partner’s idea is great if it’s not going to be an extensive expense then let them try it. Best case, it succeeds. Worst case, it fails. You won’t know until you are open to letting each other try to be heard. Improving business communication skills does lead down a path of not only speaking but learning to listen too.
Be Open to Vulnerability
When working together in a business model, you both will have to release information that you are not used to releasing. Let’s face it, if you have worked from home on your own for years and now you have to share data with someone else, it can be a difficult concept. Learn to let go of your ego and pride as well as control, because if a partnership is going to work and you are going to improve business communication then you have to be open to being vulnerable. Remember both of you want success, does it really matter how it comes about?
What are some tips you have for someone who needs to improve business communication skills?
What a great post! So many great points, I think communication is one of the key points and listening is no doubt important.
I can see that sometimes there is a struggle especially in the office. But being willing to work together and hear each other out always helps…
So many great points and things to remember. I think I need to send to this a few friends or maybe print it out as great reminders.
I work in an office that is predominantly female. You don’t notice the difference until there’s a man to present his opinion. Then it becomes so apparent how different people’s approaches can be.
I know from experience it is sometimes a challenge to work from home with your significant other but it’s also opportunity for so much growth as a couple. You have to work on those communication skills to a new level and that really only benefits you in many ways that aren’t even work related.