Communication is a vital part of any successful business, not just for the business but also to ensure an amicable working environment.

At its heart communication is the understanding of a message by multiple individuals. However, while the message itself might appear to be straightforward, the variety of the receivers and their understanding of said message is incalculable.

Which is why communication is such an important skill to master. There are numerous studies which are now showing how important it is for a company to have strong internal relationships before they even attempt building relationships with outside stakeholders. The standard thinking is, if your team is strong, your message, values and ethics are too.

One of my favourite people to listen to about modern work place issues and relationships is Simon Sinek (@simonsinek) and you should really have a look at some of his TEDTalks (www.ted.com, @TEDTalks). You will definitely find something inspirational.

People want to connect with other people, and we would do well to remember that in business and in our social lives. Here are three tips to help create understanding.

1. Just be polite

It may seem an easy thing for some, but talking to colleagues can be daunting for others.

Yes, you’re all there to work for a common goal, but people and their individual personalities can be tricky to determine.

If there’s one piece of advice that I often give my students and even my daughter, it’s just to be polite.

It doesn’t cost anything and it doesn’t take much to greet someone, but, it makes the world of difference. Try it and you will see instant results.

2. Keep a record

Whatever you do at work should be documented. Write it down, keep a diary, make notes in a book, whichever method suits you best.

If you’ve written it down, you always have something to refer to. That way, you avoid any kind of “he said, she said” situation and you have evidence to back you up.

3. Say what you do, do what you say

It really is difficult for some people to tell others what it is they do in a day. For others, they can talk about themselves for hours on end.

However, it is crucial to tell people what you do, and even more important to do what you said you would do. In that way, we build and maintain accountability and integrity.

In the modern world of communication, the integrity of our business is what separates us from the rest. However, we can’t say that we have integrity as a business if we don’t practice it ourselves.

By Keshina Thaver