Communication is an essential part of human interaction. Even if your job is technical, you need to communicate well. In fact, good communication should be your top priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finance<\/a> managers need to know how to communicate. Otherwise, no one will understand a company\u2019s budget and financial<\/a> situation. Finance doesn\u2019t have to be hard to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are five ways finance managers can learn to communicate better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It may be clich\u00e9, but practice really does make perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re nervous about a presentation, practice in front of your friends and family. It may seem silly, but even setting up your stuffed animals as an audience can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask people who don\u2019t work<\/a> in finance to listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unless you work in a bank or the finance sector, be aware that most people aren\u2019t familiar with the terminology. Use simpler language. Ask if people don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find ways to explain finance terms and concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make things easy for people to understand. Just don\u2019t dumb things down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People don\u2019t like being talked to like children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They also don\u2019t like feeling like idiots. Respect your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask them for feedback. See if there is anything you could do better next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be prepared for negative as well as positive feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People don\u2019t communicate the same everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The world is full of hundreds of languages. Among those languages there is a great deal of variation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just think about the differences between British and American English!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Travel<\/a> teaches you to learn new ways of communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider it a part of your job to travel<\/a>. Use a booking service like Hotel Engine<\/a> to keep things professional. They will make sure all your travel needs are met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Visit conferences for other people in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask them how they communicate finance terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even going on a city tour can teach you a lot about communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning a language will push you out of your comfort zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It will teach you a lot about your own language as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask strangers what financial terms they know and are familiar with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will give you a good idea as to what the average person knows about finance. See if a stranger is willing to hear your presentation and give you feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most people are more than excited to learn new things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can never know too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take the time to read the financial papers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read books that are designed for ordinary audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finance is a field in which you constantly need to stay up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You need to know what is happening in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finance constantly changes. You need to make sure that your presentation is current and doesn\u2019t have outdated data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be familiar with the biggest news stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use these stories as starting points for a conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask your colleagues where they get their news. Read these papers or websites to know what they\u2019re interested in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t forget to read a fun book every once in a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of communication is psychological.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, most of the communication we do is non-verbal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take the time to learn about body language. Here is a list of books on body language from Best Books Hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Observe the people around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can learn a lot even if you don\u2019t understand their language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can normally tell if someone is confused or comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in mind that body language varies from person to person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People need to be comfortable to receive information. Make sure their needs are met before your presentation begins. Ensure that they aren\u2019t afraid to ask questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n